Die TOP50 Progressives
This federal election is crucial! We urgently need politicians in parliament who are fit for the future. To mark this occasion, Brand New Bundestag is honoring 50 progressive candidates for the Bundestag who stand for political change. Through innovative approaches in the areas of climate, social justice, migration & international affairs, culture & education, anti-discrimination, economy & digitalization, as well as special interest, they show what sustainable politics can look like.
Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Antidiscrimination
Identifying discrimination in all its forms and resolving it in a targeted manner is a key task for a healthy society. It is necessary to address the deeply rooted discriminatory structures in our society and to deal with and overcome structural discrimination, on an institutional level. Dealing with racism, sexism, rejectionism, anti-Semitism, queerphobia and other forms of structural discrimination is not just a problem of individual concerned, but rather society as a whole.
In this category, we honor politicians who want to bring civil society demands for combating discrimination to the parliaments.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Awet Tesfaiesus
Alliance 90/The Green Party | Werra-Meißner - Hersfeld-Rotenburg Constituency | Position 9 Hessen
The lawyer and candidate Awet Tesfaiesus is not only politically, but also professionally and civically committed to the rights of refugees. She fights for a diverse and tolerant society in which fascist, racist, and reactionary structures are clearly identified and addressed.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Yvonne Sophie Thöne
Edwin Greve
The Urban Party | Berlin-Neukölln Constituency| Candidate for the Berlin House of Representatives
Edwin Grewe has been fighting against racism, rejectionism and all forms of discrimination for years and, as an expert in this field, is doing important educational work. He stands for a reorganization of our supply: Housing, education, and public transportation must be accessible to all! Edwin gives marginalized groups a voice and thus convinced us from the start. Brand New Bundestag supports him in his election campaign.
Image Rights: © Aru Smaielova
Hakan Demir
SPD | Berlin-Neukölln Constituency
Hakan Demir grew up in Krefeld as the child of a working-class family and moved to Berlin in 2012. He has long been committed to social diversity and migration issues, working at the association "DeutschPlus" or as an online journalist. As a candidate for the SPD Neukölln, he wants to campaign for a strong welfare state and fair education in the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookImage rights: © Hakan Demir
Lamya Kaddor
Alliance 90/The Green Party | Duisburg I Constituency | Position 12 North Rhine-Westphalia
Lamya Kaddor is an Islamic scholar and one of the most prominent voices for a liberal interpretation of Islam in Germany. After many years of university and civic engagement, including as founding chairwoman of the Liberal-Islamic Federation, she now wants to fight for an open and climate-friendly society in the Bundestag - as the Green Party's direct candidate for her hometown of Duisburg.
Twitter | Instagram | FacebookImage rights: © Lamya Kaddor
Lena Werner
SPD | Bitburg Constituency | Position 10 Rhineland-Palatinate
Lena Werner is a strong advocate for equal rights and a socially just fight against climate change. In concrete terms, for her, this means equal pay for equal work as well as strengthening equal opportunities in the education system - regardless of social background. With her candidacy, she not only wants to draw attention to the wage gap between the sexes, but also to motivate young women to make use of their vote. In addition, she is committed to promoting ecologically sustainable tourism in her region.
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Lena Werner
Nuha Sharif-Ali
The Left Party | Fulda Constituency | Position 6 Hessen
As a candidate of the Left Party in Hessen, the 28-year-old political scientist Nuha Sharif-Ali fights for the fight against racism and discrimination in any form. She fights for a multi-issue debate on racism, capitalism and the climate crisis that makes the connections apparent and addresses them daringly. In the same way, she advocates for equal opportunities in education, housing, work or health care and demands equal access for all.
Ricarda Lang
Alliance 90/The Green Party | Backnang-Schwäbisch Gmünd Constituency | Position 11 Baden-Württemberg
Since 2019, 27-year-old Ricarda Lang has been the Deputy Federal Chair and Women's Policy Spokesperson of Alliance 90/The Green Party. Here, she is particularly responsible for the topics of feminism, diversity, and anti-racism and does important educational work in these areas. Now she wants to enter the Bundestag and fight for equal rights as well as for long-term strategies against right-wing structures.
Twitter | Instagram | FacebookImage rights: © Ricarda Lang
Climate
The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time. To avoid the devastating consequences of climate catastrophe and ensure a sustainable future, we need radical measures to meet the 1.5-degree target that involves both local and global equity. These measures include a fair distribution of climate costs, a rapid overhaul of transportation, and regenerative agriculture. Climate policy is complex and needs to be thought about holistically. It is therefore particularly important to involve different experts and Civil Society.
In the “Climate” category, we honor politicians who advocate progressive climate policy both within their party and as activists.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Franka Kretschmer
Franka Kretschmer holds a doctorate in environmental and energy engineering. As an activist and scientist, she supports Civil Society Organizations in the fight against climate change. Franka Kretschmer is convinced that new ways of citizen participation as well as cooperation between Civil Society and Parliament are needed to implement a socially just and sustainable transformation of society.
Brand New Bundestag supports Franka Kretschmer in her candidacy for the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Harald Krieg
Jakob Blasel
Jakob Blasel was one of the leading figures in the establishment of Fridays for Future in Germany and appeared as a speaker at demonstrations, on talk shows, and in the press. In August 2020, he announced his intention to run for the Bundestag and at the same time resigned from his official functions at Fridays for Future. The climate activist had most recently called for a higher carbon price at the Green Party conference and introduced it as a motion.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Jakob Blasel
Kathrin Henneberger
Kathrin Henneberger grew up in the Rhineland and has been committed to climate protection since her youth. As Federal Spokesperson for the Green Youth, she helped put the climate crisis on the political agenda and campaigned against lignite mining, among other things with Ende Gelände. Now she would like to bring her climate policy experience to the Bundestag and advance the fight against climate change there - as a direct candidate for the Green parliamentary group for Mönchengladbach.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Kathrin Henneberger
Lisa Badum
Lisa Badum is the spokesperson for climate policy of the Green Party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag. She emphatically demands effective climate protection, whether from the current government or from her own party. She is particularly committed to ensuring that climate protection is socially just - both in Germany and on a global level.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Lisa Badum
Lu Yen Roloff
Politics #EinfachMachen: Building the bridge from civil society to parliament with community organizing - Lu Yen Roloff's innovative approach to politics impresses and inspires. To achieve the 1.5-degree target and establish common good as the guardrail of future politics, she is fighting for new, cross-party majorities in the Bundestag.
Brand New Bundestag supports Lu Yen Roloff in her candidacy for the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Manuela Clemens
Maximilian Reimers
Maximilian Reimers, Fridays for Future activist as well as chairman of the Left parliamentary group Rendsburg-Eckernförde, fights for climate protection as well as for a social-ecological and anti-capitalist awakening. For him, the climate crisis is clearly a class issue. In combating it, the 22-year-old student sees the greatest opportunity in linking the climate movement, trade unions, and parliament - to achieve this, he is standing for election to the Bundestag.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Maximilian Reimers
Nyke Slawik
27-year-old Nyke Slawik wants to give young people a voice in the Bundestag. She fights for the issues of her generation, for a courageous climate policy and for a caring society in which diversity is actively promoted. As a transgender woman, she fights for the rights of women and queer people. Her motivation is a globalized world where people stand together for peace and for a clean environment.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Elias Keilhauer
Wiebke Winter
Wiebke Winter, 25 years old and Co-Founder of Klima Union, is campaigning for change within the CDU. Her election campaign focuses on climate protection, compliance with the 1.5-degree target, and a sustainable and strong economy. The chairwoman of the Junge Union Bremen wants to find solutions for tomorrow's issues and talks to "doers" about their motivation as well as current problems and visions in her podcast #wegenMORGEN
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Gottfried Schwarz
Culture & Education
The Corona crisis has made it clear once again that education that provides equal opportunities and the promotion and appreciation of culture are crucial for shaping our society. What and how we learn must be reconsidered in a digitalized and globalized world. Personal Development deserves much greater attention. Both the engagement with culture, whether in terms of history, art, or sport, and how we can fundamentally make access to culture more inclusive, need to be reimagined in a diverse society. In the “Culture & Education” category, we honor politicians who advocate for new approaches in local and national education policy as well as for cultural promotion.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Behzad Borhani
Behzad Borhani has set himself the goal of promoting a diverse and open society through culture and sports policy. Born in Iran, he knows from personal experience about the integrative potential of sport and has already successfully utilized this at the political level as a board member of the Hessen Sports Youth.
Brand New Bundestag supports Behzad Borhani in his candidacy for the Bundestag.
.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Rolf Wegst
Emilia Fester
The freelance assistant director knows the cultural and educational environment up close. She is particularly committed to children's and youth rights, gender equality and the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Among other things, she is an intensive advocate for basic child security. She also advocates for effective and socially just climate protection
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Henning Angerer
Emily Vontz
The 20-year-old student and district chairwoman of the Young Socialists in Merzig Wadern Emily Vontz wants to enter the German Bundestag in order to strengthen the representation of young people and give them a voice in decisions that significantly affect their future.
She is intensively campaigning for stronger political education, which should start in school.
Image rights: © Niklas Toresson
Jessica Rosenthal
Equal opportunities for children - that's what Jessica Rosenthal wants to campaign for as an SPD candidate in Bonn. Through her experience as a teacher and her social commitment, her desire grew to also become politically involved in a fair education system. In addition, she is fighting for affordable housing and more commitment to climate protection.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © shschroeder / SPD
Joe Chialo
Joe Chialo is running for office in order to strengthen culture as the community-creating core of our society. With the music label Afroforce1, which he initiated and manages, he markets artists from the African music scene in Europe and thus promotes intercultural exchange beyond national borders. Joe Chialo is also a founding sponsor of the Climate Union.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Chris Heidrich
Karamba Diaby
SPD | Halle Constituency | Position 1 Saxony-Anhalt
Karamba Diaby is already fighting in the Bundestag to ensure that access to and success in education do not depend on social environment, family financial situation or place of residence. In addition, the Senegalese-born chemist and geoecologist is committed to preserving the environment - both in terms of the global context and the local allotment garden.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Karamba Diaby
Shoan Vaisi
Shoan Vaisi is committed to equal educational opportunities - regardless of migration background or social origin. Born in Iran, he came to Germany in 2011 and is now running for DIE LINKE (The Left Party). He stands up against racism and right-wing extremism and wants to send a clear signal for tolerance and solidarity.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Dominik Asbach
Migration & International Affairs
Not least as a member of the European Union, the United Nations and other international agreements and treaties, Germany is obliged to respect human rights. We thus bear global responsibility. A humane migration policy that offers protection to all people and creates real prospects for them to stay and have a future is a fundamental basis for this. The politicians in the “Migration & International Affairs” category want to reshape foreign and migration policy and work with Civil Society actors to find just solutions.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Clara Bünger
As an activist, lawyer and Co-Founder of the human rights organization "Equal rights beyond borders", Clara Bünger fights, among other things, for family reunification of refugees in Europe and individual rights in the Dublin system. Her expertise and passion in the field of asylum policy is recognized and appreciated even by political opponents. In the Bundestag, she wants to be a strong counterweight to the rhetoric, politics, and violence of the right and stand up for fundamental and human rights.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Clara Bünger
Julian Pahlke
Since 2016, Julian Pahlke has been active in civilian sea rescue, including with JUGEND RETTET. He has himself been on board the rescue ship IUVENTA several times and has rescued people fleeing from strife through the Mediterranean. Now Julian Pahlke wants to join the Bundestag to change asylum policy where it is decided.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Niklas Kemper
Kassem Taher Saleh
Kassem Taher Saleh, born in northern Iraq, grew up in Vogtland, and now lives where he is running for the Bundestag in Dresden. Focusing on asylum policy and on a sustainable building policy that takes the climate crisis seriously, he advocates for a strong Civil Society and actively positions himself against racism and discrimination.
Brand New Bundestag supports Kassem Taher Saleh in his Bundestag candidacy.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Daniel Meißner
Luise Amtsberg
Luise Amtsberg, a member of the Bundestag, is the spokesperson on refugee policy for the Green Party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag and a member of the Committee of the Interior. Her main policy issues are asylum policy and European refugee policy.
She is again running for re-election to the Bundestag as List Position 1 of the Green Party in Schleswig-Holstein.
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Luise Amtsberg
Michel Brandt
Michel Brandt has long been actively involved in social, ecological, anti-fascist and anti-racist movements. He has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2017 and represents the parliamentary group of The Left Party in the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid. He is running as the incumbent in the Bundestag elections and fights for solidarity with refugees, a peaceful foreign policy, against arms exports, and for human rights.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Michel Brandt
Social Justice
People are confronted with clear injustices because of their origin, their social and economic background, and their place of residence. This affects not only their own individual present and future, but equally the cohesion of society as a whole. Creating a society in which opportunities and resources are distributed more fairly is a matter close to the hearts of the politicians honored in the “Social Justice” category. In doing so, they set different priorities and present multifaceted approaches that are dedicated to the overarching goal of a socially just society.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Annika Klose
Annika Klose has already gained experience in politics as Berlin's Young Socialists Chairwoman. She now wants to continue her commitment to social justice in Berlin, including rent cap and affordable public transport. The union secretary's main areas of focus include pay equity, social security and the fight against right-wing extremism.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © SPD Berlin
Canan Bayram
Canan Bayram first entered the Bundestag in 2017 as the Green Party's direct candidate for Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and is now running again. The law and political scientist demands affordable rents, citizens rights and a clear anti-discrimination policy.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Image rights: © Canan Bayram / Anna Fiolka
Hanna Steinmüller
The fight for more social justice is Hanna Steinmüller's heartfelt issue. She has long been committed to reducing inequality, working with BUNDjugend and in her work helping young people experiencing poverty, among other things. Climate justice is also one of the issues she wants to advance as a Green candidate in the Bundestag.
Image rights: © Susanne Hartung
Kevin Kühnert
Since his time as Young Socialists chairman and as one of the strongest supporters of the #NoGroKo campaign, Kevin Kühnert has been one of the most important voices when it comes to not only talking about social justice, but also consistently demanding it. Whether it's affordable housing or fair educational opportunities, Kevin Kühnert now wants to take the reins in federal politics himself and is running for the next Bundestag.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Kevin Kühnert
Margaux Erdmann
Margaux Erdmann fights politically and as an activist for the social-ecological transformation, the defense of our democracy and against the division of our society. Climate justice, democracy, feminism and human rights are her central topics. She is active in the Braunschweig Alliance Against the Right and the Braunschweig Anti-Discrimination Network. In 2018, she founded the Seebrücke Braunschweig. She is also the Equal Opportunities Officer at the Braunschweig University of Fine Arts.
Brand New Bundestag supports Margaux Erdmann in her candidacy for the Bundestag
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Dajana Düring
Marko Schmidt
Marko Schmidt is running for The Left Party in Saxony to advance democracy and citizen participation and to shape structural change in the state. The Ebersbach-born lawyer and social scientist has been active in political education, among other things, since 2009 and has worked for The Left Party in the Saxony state parliament since 2019. In the Bundestag, he would like to work in particular on the issues of social justice and for a climate-friendly future.
Brand New Bundestag supports Marko Schmidt in his candidacy for the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Marko Schmidt
Philipp Rubach
Philipp Rubach is passionately committed to a recovery in eastern Germany that overcomes the existing inequality between east and west. Together with other committed people, he founded the initiative Aufbruch Ost (Breaking East) and is fighting inequality, whether it's about workers' rights, local unions or the unequal pension level. The special education teacher is also campaigning against the rise of right-wing extremists in eastern Germany.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Martin Neuhof
Rasha Nasr
Rasha Nasr fights against structural racism, for the visibility of marginalized groups and for a self-confident, cosmopolitan society in which all people are respected. It is important to her to "talk to each other instead of about each other" and to create easy access to her concerns and topics with her political work.
Brand New Bundestag supports Rasha Nasr in her candidacy for the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Julian Hoffmann
Sanae Abdi
Social justice and advocacy for a better world have long been a matter close to Sanae Abdi's heart. The Cologne native with Moroccan roots works in development cooperation, where she advocates fair supply chains. As an SPD candidate for the city council in the Cologne Südstadt constituency, diversity, affordable rents and a green city in the Veedel are particularly important to her.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Maximilian Koenig
Seija Knorr-Köning
Seija Knorr-Köning is campaigning in Munich-West for social health policy, fair educational opportunities and the fight against child poverty. The intensive care nurse knows the health care system from the inside and relentlessly points out deficiencies but also solutions for it.
As a young mother and social democrat, she fights against child poverty and for fair educational opportunities. Among other things, she is campaigning for a basic child allowance and free education from kindergarten onwards.
Brand New Bundestag supports Seija Knorr-Köning in her candidacy for the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Julian Schulz
Economy & Digitization
Transforming our economy toward sustainability is a fundamental prerequisite for effectively combating the climate crisis and reducing social injustice. So what does a sustainable and social economy look like? How can we use digitization to drive positive change? The politicians we are honoring in this category are working intensively on these questions and want to make their contribution as experts in various fields. Whether financial or labor market policy, the digital economy, eGovernment or digital citizen participation – these are all fields in which progress urgently needs to be made in the next legislative period. This category honors politicians who want to help shape the regulatory framework for the sustainable economy of the 21st century.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Anke Domscheit-Berg
Anke Domscheit-Berg is a net activist, publicist and member of the Bundestag. The former IT consultant is known in the net political scene for her expertise and her unsparing analyses of the progress of digitalization in Germany. For this feminist, digitization is never an end in and of itself, but must be embedded in civil liberties and considered in conjunction with social policy. She is also involved in non-parliamentary activities, for example in the "Verstehbahnhof" project, a makers' space for children and young people.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Podcast
Image rights: © Jesco Denzel
Ann Cathrin Riedel
Ann Cathrin Riedel is a consultant for digital political communication, speaker, moderator and expert for digitalization. As Issues Manager for Digitization and Innovation at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, in her weekly newsletter and as Chair of LOAD e.V. Verein für liberale Netzpolitik, she advocates for progressive digital policy. She would like to bring her expertise in cyber security, data protection, ethics in digitization and her clear stance against encroachments on civil rights to the next Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Paul Alexander Probst
Armand Zorn
Digitization and social justice - that's what Armand Zorn stands for. In the Bundestag, he wants to fight for a society in which everyone can participate. Having grown up in humble circumstances, he now works in development cooperation. His background and expertise enable him to take an empathetic as well as sharp look at social change potentials.
Brand New Bundestag supports Armand in his candidacy for the Bundestag.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Armand Zorn
Cansel Kiziltepe
Cansel Kiziltepe, member of the Bundestag and daughter of a Turkish guest worker family, was sensitized to social issues at an early age. In the Bundestag, she fights for progressive taxes in order to enable a fair distribution of funding. With her own project "Tax Myths", she clarifies misconceptions and false conclusions within tax policy. She also campaigns for affordable housing and equal rights.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Cansel Kiziltepe
Kristina Jeromin
Kristina Jeromin is the voice in Germany when it comes to a sustainable financial system. She emphasizes that this is a key issue for the social and economic transformation toward greater sustainability and thus future viability. With ease and persuasiveness, she points to the financial dimension of every issue and the opportunities that a sustainable financial system holds for environmental protection, education, digitization, intergenerational justice or social housing, among other things.
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Renato Ribeiro Alves
Laura Sophie Dornheim
Laura Sophie Dornheim is a network politician and advocates digitization that benefits everyone. Through her experience as a manager in the IT sector, she brings technical expertise that she combines with feminist aspirations. For example, non-discriminatory artificial intelligence and the fight against hate speech are important topics for her at the interface between society and digital. But she also advocates for feminist goals away from the Internet, such as the abolition of §219a.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Laura Sophie Dornheim
Noreen Thiel
FDP | Berlin-Lichtenberg Constituency
At 18, Noreen Thiel is one of the youngest candidates for the Bundestag elections and, if elected, would be the youngest member of parliament in the history of the Federal Republic. Thematically, she is committed to digitization - especially in the field of education. As a digital native who experienced first-hand the inadequate equipment in schools during the pandemic, she brings the right drive to the debate.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © James Zabel
Reem Alabali-Radovan
Reem Alabali-Radovan, born in Moscow to Iraqi parents and raised in Schwerin, wants to enter the Bundestag on behalf of progressive politics. The political science graduate as well as the integration commissioner of the state government of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania fights for greater investments in a modern and sustainable future, for fair wages as well as for new ways in the economy. She wants to position Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as an attractive business location and create incentives for business start-ups there.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Sascha Krautz
Verena Hubertz
Verena Hubertz, Social Democrat and start-up founder of Kitchen Stories, wants to enter the Bundestag for Trier and Trier-Saarburg to build bridges between the economy, social issues and sustainability. She fights for an economy that is not about maximizing profits, but about addressing social and environmental challenges. She calls for true digitization that shapes technological progress instead of running after it.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Annika Krüger
Special Interest
In addition to the six content-specific categories of the TOP50 list, there are many other policy areas that are just as central to a sustainable society and in which progressive approaches are urgently needed – such as in health policy, domestic policy or the promotion of democracy. In the “Special Interest” category, we therefore honor politicians who want to bring about significant and progressive changes in their respective fields. Because: Progressive politics is multifaceted and necessary everywhere – and that is precisely what this category is intended to make visible.
Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
Any questions? Click here for the FAQ
Christopher Gohl
Christopher Gohl is passionate about democracy policy. By this he means reforming our structures to ensure participation and representation for all. Citizens' councils, house parliaments or other forms of direct citizen participation - Christopher Gohl sees democracy as a learning system that must constantly evolve.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Christopher Gohl
Erik von Malottki
In the Bundestag, Erik von Malottki wants to campaign for stricter regulations against corruption and lobbying. In addition to transparent policies, he is committed to making education available to all regardless of income and to involving the federal government more closely in education policy. He brings many years of experience in youth and democracy work.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Erik von Malottki
Karl Lauterbach
Karl Lauterbach has been advocating evidence-based policy not just since the Corona pandemic. Whether it's pandemic control, drug policy or climate policy, Karl Lauterbach is concerned with how we can solve problems based on facts, regardless of ideological debates. Particularly in climate policy, he stands within the SPD for a very progressive course and the necessary consistency to protect our planet.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Karl Lauterbach
Konstantin Kuhle
Konstantin Kuhle is an interior politician who advocates, among other things, comprehensive clarification and systematic combating of right-wing extremism in German authorities, such as the police. In addition, the 32-year-old is concerned about intergenerational justice and, in particular, the representation of the younger generations.
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Image rights: © Konstantin Kuhle
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
Back to the Categories: Antidiscrimination | Climate | Culture & Education | Migration & International Affairs | Social Justice | Economy & Digitalization | Special Interest
With the TOP50 Progressives, we want to draw attention to how diverse progressive politics is in Germany and how many people are committed to it (in terms of mandate politics).
The identification and publication of the TOP50 Progressives is embedded in the broader mission of BNB:
“We fight for progressive, future-oriented politics. We want to bring people into the Bundestag who will shape a sustainable and diverse future for all of us beyond party lines. For this purpose, we find courageous people from civil society and support them to succeed in their political campaigns.”
While BNB’s focus remains on supporting our eleven BNB candidates, we are putting our activities on an even broader footing through TOP50 – further strengthening the ecosystem for effective progressive politics.
The TOP50 Progressives were identified using a multi-stage selection process. First, we actively scouted for progressive candidates (analyzing, among other things, the parties’ national lists published by June 15, 2021) and also asked our BNB community (volunteers, advisors, jury, etc.) for suggestions. We also called for nominations for the TOP50 via Instagram, among others.
We then researched more detailed information about the candidates (political stances, social media presence, life history, diversity characteristics, voting behavior, if applicable, etc.). We compiled this information and provided it to our selection committee.
Our selection committee then evaluated all candidates based on a total of five criteria (for these, see the next question). The resulting “shortlist” was then the subject of several selection meetings in which the selection committee discussed each individual person. At the final selection meeting, the balance of the list was examined once again with regard to diversity characteristics, party affiliation, regions, election chances, etc., and the final selection decision was made.
Based on the information we researched (see previous question), our selection committee rated each candidate on a scale of 1 to 5 using the following five criteria: Credibility/Motivation; Integrity; Charisma/Presence; Consistency with BNB Demands in each eligible category; Consistency with BNB Demands in the other categories.
Each person on the shortlist was evaluated independently and anonymously by three persons – the average value formed from this was then the basis for the further selection consultations (see previous question on the selection process).
We honor the TOP50 Progressives in the following seven content categories:
- Climate
- Social Justice
- Migration & International Affairs
- Culture & Education
- Antidiscrimination
- Economy & Digitalization
- Special Interest
Our selection committee consisted of twelve people, including the BNB Co-Founders, BNB core team members, and the scouting team of BNB volunteers. We made sure to have a balanced, diverse membership on the committee to incorporate the different perspectives represented at BNB.
In addition to the demands of our own selection process, in which diverse perspectives have been significantly incorporated, we have also paid attention to a diverse composition in the selection of the TOP50.
BNB is not only committed to a more progressive parliament, but also to a more diverse one. From our point of view, it is essential that as many life perspectives as possible are represented in the Bundestag. That’s why we explicitly support people who represent groups that are underrepresented in the political arena. With TOP50, we also want to draw attention to how diverse progressive political engagement already is today.
We do not understand progressive as a description of a particular political camp, but in the true sense of the word: Accordingly, for us, politics is progressive if it is forward-looking. We have set out what we understand by this in our demands.
For us, therefore, all people who stand up for these demands and thus want to strengthen sustainable politics are progressive. Progressive people can therefore be found in a wide variety of parties. It goes without saying, however, that we would never support parties that do not clearly stand up for the preservation of the free democratic basic order.
The BNB candidates continue to be the focus of our activities. We have selected them through a long-term, intensive process. We have been working with most of them week by week for almost a year now and have a close exchange on content and organization.
Our nominees, as progressive speakers in their respective communities, are also among the TOP50 Progressives. Together with the additional 39 Awardees, they form a progressive network that we intend to gradually strengthen in the coming weeks and months.
In addition to the publication of the TOP50 list and corresponding press and public relations work, we are planning several networking events for the Awardees among themselves. The first meetings will take place before the federal election. For the time after election day, we want to develop further formats in which we also want to involve the broader civil society.
The TOP50 list for the federal election is already complete, as you can find it under TOP50. However, we are always happy to hear about exciting progressive candidates (or people who intend to run) – be it on the European, federal, state or local level.
You know someone who absolutely belongs in politics? Then feel free to use the contact form or send us an email to [email protected]!
For the 2022 state elections (Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony), our nomination process is already underway → click here for the nomination form.