Here's How to Protect Yourself Against Right-Wing Infiltration
Far-right extremists repeatedly try to infiltrate organizations or initiatives—often without drawing attention.
Here you can learn how to protect yourself legally and organizationally.
No obligation to admit individuals based on nonprofit status or funding
Many people think, “A nonprofit or subsidized organization has to accept everyone.”
That’s not true.
Being a nonprofit organization requires working for the common good, but it does not require accepting every person.
On the contrary: Anyone who rejects the democratic constitutional order can be excluded. 1
Enshrine Clear Values in the Bylaws
Explicitly state in your bylaws that your organization stands for democracy, diversity, and human dignity—and that discriminatory behavior is not tolerated.
This will lay the groundwork for excluding members with far-right views. 2
Review the admission process
Your club is not required to accept every person.
Make sure your bylaws do not provide for automatic membership. 3
This way, you can reject applications in a legally sound manner.
Add an exclusion clause
Include a specific exclusion clause—for example, for “far-right, racist, anti-Semitic, or other anti-democratic views .”4
This will ensure you are on the safe side legally. 5
Politically, yes—but not in terms of party politics!
Nonprofit organizations are allowed to take a stand: You can offer critical commentary on political parties or government agencies when it relates to your issues and goals.
Important to know:
- You are not required to invite all political parties to every event—but you also may not promote specific ones.
-
You may criticize specific policies or measures,
as long as you do not actively support any political party or engage in campaign advertising.
This way, you remain politically effective—and legally compliant. 6
