Together, we safeguard the foundations of democracy.
Text by Text.
Support our work with a donation. Because fundamental rights are under pressure around the world. In the United States and elsewhere, we see every day how quickly the foundations of democracy can be shaken.
To understand what is at stake, we need knowledge – and we make that knowledge accessible. Open access, for everyone.
We publish timely analysis and commentary. We spark debate. We explain how the constitution, fundamental rights, and the rule of law protect us – and how we can defend them more effectively against attack.
In Germany, in Europe, and across the world.
Many people are wondering what they can do right now. Our answer: create and disseminate knowledge. This is how we safeguard democracy’s foundations. Text by Text. To keep doing this, we need your support.
Every donation strengthens our independence – and helps us stand together for a free and constitutional democracy.
Goal 1: 120,000 € by the end of 2025
This will cover a part of our running costs and keep us online.Goal 2: 380,000 € by April 2026
This will secure momentum for our editorial work, for symposia and books and our work towards strengthening open access in legal academia.Goal 3: 750,000 € by October 2026
This will make Verfassungsblog future-ready beyond 2026 and allow us to develop interventions for deep constitutional knowledge in challenging times for democracy.
We provide clarity – when democracy needs it most
2026 will be a decisive year for democracy. In the United States, it remains uncertain whether the slide of the world’s oldest democracy toward authoritarianism can still be stopped — or even reversed. In Germany, more than a quarter of the population will vote in new state elections. In Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD could become the kingmaker this September — with far-reaching consequences for democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights across the Federal Republic.
Never has constitutional expertise been more vital — and never has it been more urgent to make that knowledge freely accessible.
- How will the struggle for democracy in the United States unfold?
- Where is the European Union headed?
- How will the German government manage without a majority for constitutional reform?
- Will authoritarian-populist parties score decisive victories in German state elections?
- And: will our democratic institutions be prepared?
Defending the constitution means protecting the institutions of democracy and the rule of law — and keeping open the spaces for free discourse, especially when those very spaces come under attack.
Verfassungsblog is one of those spaces.
Help us keep it open.
Legal expertise becomes more accessible ✔️
Since 2009, Verfassungsblog has provided a free, open platform where more than 3,600 authors publish their contributions — over 800 new articles every year. Our coverage spans climate law and environmental protection, democracy and the rule of law, and international jurisprudence. Every article is subject to rigorous editorial review and published open access, for everyone to read. Open Access: no paywalls, ever. That’s why so many people rely on us: last year alone, our website welcomed 3.5 million visitors. Our articles are cited in academic research, in the media, and by courts. Your donation helps us sustain this model — keeping legal expertise freely accessible to all.
Democracy becomes more resilient ✔️
Verfassungsblog is actively committed to defending democracy and the rule of law. We began in Thuringia, are now examining the judiciary across Germany, and in 2026 will turn to the media and academia. Our research and reporting investigate how authoritarian populists attack the free democratic constitutional order — and we publish it all open access. Our work is already shaping democratic practice: in Saarland, there are concrete plans to draw on the findings of our Thuringia Project to strengthen the state constitutional court against strategic blockades and other populist attacks. Similar reform efforts are emerging in other federal states. Following the 2024 amendment to the Basic Law on the Federal Constitutional Court, these could be the next constitutional changes in Germany informed by Verfassungsblog’s research. Your donation helps make democracy more resilient.
Verfassungsblog gets a modern makeover ✔️
After more than a decade online, it’s time for a major technical and visual renewal. In 2025, we prepared the groundwork; now we’re ready to bring it to life — a modern design, better accessibility, improved search, a comprehensive archive, and smart AI tools. Nearly 10,000 articles from fifteen years of Verfassungsblog will find a new, future-proof home. Your donation helps us build a platform worthy of our content — and even more useful for readers and authors alike.
Open access becomes the standard in legal scholarship ✔️
Beyond our daily work, we are also committed to making open access the norm in legal publishing — ensuring that constitutional law expertise remains available to everyone. Our recent exclusion from the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) has sparked an important debate about how quality assurance and publication formats should be understood in open access publishing, so that innovative formats at the intersection of academia and public discourse are not disadvantaged. We remain steadfast in our mission. We are developing independent projects to strengthen the foundations of open access, promoting international and interdisciplinary discussion on standards, funding models, and dissemination in libraries and databases. Your donation helps us modernize academic publishing — and ensure that open access remains open.
Would you like to actively contribute to strengthening democracy and the rule of law as a company?
Your corporate donation will significantly support our work and help us analyze authoritarian threats, keep legal knowledge accessible, and protect the constitution.
You can send us your donation via our donation tool “twingle” or transfer it to our donation account as a regular bank transfer:
- Account holder: Max Steinbeis Verfassungsblog gGmbH
- IBAN: DE94 4306 0967 1302 0051 00
- BIC: GENODEM1GLS
- Bank: GLS Bank eG in Berlin
If you have a digital foundation account with bcause, please consider us!
If you have any questions about your donation or how your company can support us, please feel free to contact us at kontakt@verfassungsblog.de.
Looking for a special gift? With a donation to Verfassungsblog, you can delight others and strengthen our democracy at the same time.
Whether for Christmas, birthdays, or other special occasions, a gift donation via our donation tool “twingle” supports our work and open access to legal knowledge. You help us ensure that up-to-date articles, commentaries, and in-depth analyses remain accessible to everyone.
Thank you so much for your gift and your donation!
Will I receive a donation receipt?
Yes. As a registered non-profit organization, donations to us are tax-deductible in accordance with § 10b EStG (German Income Tax Act). At the beginning of the following year, you will receive a consolidated receipt of your donations for the previous year. For donations up to €300, your bank statement is usually sufficient as proof for the tax office.
What’s in it for me?
You are helping to keep crucial knowledge accessible across the entire spectrum of constitutional issues in Germany and around the world.
You become part of our community for civil constitutional protection and help build knowledge against the rise of authoritarian populism.
How can I donate?
With our donation tool “twingle”, you can make a one-time donation or donate regularly. Regular donations offer planning security, flexibility, and independence from temporary third-party funding.
Of course, regular bank transfers (IBAN DE94 4306 0967 1302 0051 00, BIC GENODEM1GLS, GLS Bank eG) work perfectly well too.
And: if you have a digital foundation account with bcause, please consider us!
Where can I transfer my donation?
Our donation account is:
- Account holder: Max Steinbeis Verfassungsblog gGmbH
- IBAN: DE94 4306 0967 1302 0051 00
- BIC: GENODEM1GLS
- Bank: GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG
What will you use my donation for?
We use your donations to cover part of the costs of running Verfassungsblog. We adhere to the principle of open access, which means we will never charge our readers or authors any fees. As a registered non-profit organization, we are legally obliged to use the money we receive for charitable purposes – in our case, primarily to promote science, research, and democracy (§ 52 AO).
What about my Steady membership?
Steady is intended for commercial customers, not for non-profit organizations like ours. We cannot issue donation receipts for payments made through Steady. We will continue to use Steady, and as long as you do not need a receipt for your tax return, you don’t need to change anything. However, switching to a direct monthly donation would be significantly cheaper in terms of fees, meaning that more of your donation would actually reach us.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about your donation or Verfassungsblog, please feel free to contact us at kontakt@verfassungsblog.de. We look forward to hearing from you and will address your inquiry as quickly as possible.
