Significant Donation Boosts Scholz's SPD Campaign Ahead of Elections

As the upcoming early federal elections approach, German political parties are receiving substantial financial contributions. The Social Democratic Party (SPD), led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has recently acquired a donation of EUR1.5 million from Media Force GmbH, a campaign agency based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia.

The donation was officially registered with the Bundestag on February 6, 2025, just a few weeks ahead of the elections scheduled for February 23. Media Force GmbH describes itself on its website as a campaign agency dedicated to promoting a resilient democracy through social media initiatives.

Maximilian Oehl, the agency's managing director, emphasized on LinkedIn that extraordinary circumstances necessitate innovative strategies. He noted that there exists significant potential for mobilizing voters who have previously leaned towards extreme parties. To this end, Media Force will deploy targeted social media campaigns aimed at encouraging votes for the SPD, with the total campaign value reaching the reported donation amount.

This substantial contribution comes amid a surge of large donations to various political factions. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), for instance, has also reported receiving a recent donation of approximately EUR2.35 million from Gerhard Dingler, an individual based in Austria. The AfD has confirmed this donation but has refrained from further comments.

Reports indicate that this is the third major donation the AfD has received within a matter of days, which includes a donation of EUR1.5 million and another of EUR999,900. Additionally, the AfD has been allocated around 6,395 posters that will be displayed nationwide to promote the party independently of its official campaign.

Other political parties are also benefiting from significant financial contributions as the election date nears. The CDU and CSU, for example, received multiple donations ranging from EUR40,000 to EUR100,000. The Greens obtained EUR50,000, while the Free Democratic Party (FDP) collected three donations between EUR50,000 and EUR100,000, and Volt Germany received EUR75,000.

According to German law, any political donation exceeding EUR35,000 must be reported to the President of the Bundestag, who is responsible for publishing this information. Since the dissolution of the previous coalition government, German parties have seen a notable influx of major donations from individuals, companies, and organizations totaling millions of euros.