Center for Liberal Modernity

The Zentrum Liberale Moderne (LibMod), known in English as the Center for Liberal Modernity, is a German political think tank and debate platform founded in 2017 by Marieluise Beck and her husband Ralf Fücks, both members of the Green Party. Headquartered in Berlin, LibMod operates as a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH) and has received institutional funding from the German federal budget since 2018. Its stated mission is to defend and renew liberal democracy, promote an ecological modernization of the industrial society, and provide well-founded expertise on Eastern Europe. LibMod describes itself as a cross-party think tank addressing social and international issues. Its central concern is the defense of liberal democracy as enshrined in the German Basic Law, which it sees as the best guarantor of freedom and human dignity. The organization combines thinking on democracy, market economy, and climate protection; aims to strengthen Europe's security policy resilience; and counters widespread future pessimism with a new idea of progress for the 21st century. It is committed to renewing the social market economy and turning ecological transformation into an economic success story. The think tank is organized into three thematic program areas: International Politics (Ukraine, Russia, Eastern Partnership, Middle East), Liberal Democracy (engagement with anti-liberal thought, liberalism debate, security in transition), and Ecological Modernity (ecological transformation of industrial society). It runs several projects, including the online portal "Ukraine verstehen" (Understanding Ukraine), the "Gegneranalyse" project on the intellectual history of the anti-liberal revolt, and the "Narrativ-Check" project on radicalizing messages in digital spaces. LibMod is funded through institutional support from the German federal budget, particularly the Federal Press Office, as well as private foundations and donors. From 2018 to 2022, it received funding for 24 projects totaling over 4.4 million euros. In May 2021, Russian authorities designated LibMod as an "undesirable NGO," effectively banning its activities in Russia. The organization is led by Ralf Fücks as managing partner, with a management team including Marieluise Beck as Senior Fellow, Irene Hahn-Fuhr, and Christoph Becker. It is supported by an international advisory board comprising prominent figures from politics, academia, and civil society.

The Zentrum Liberale Moderne (LibMod) was founded in 2017 by Marieluise Beck and her husband Ralf Fücks, both prominent members of the German Green Party. It was established as a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH) based in Berlin. The think tank emerged in response to what its founders perceived as growing pressures on liberal democracy and the market economy worldwide, including attacks by authoritarian powers, rising populism, and stress on the transatlantic alliance. Since 2018, LibMod has received institutional funding from the German federal budget, initially through the Federal Press Office (Bundespresseamt). This support has allowed it to build a permanent staff and develop its programmatic work. In December 2018, LibMod launched the "Gegneranalyse" project, dedicated to the intellectual history of the anti-liberal revolt, with funding from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and the Federal Agency for Civic Education. The project produced critical articles on New Right thinkers and a glossary of related terms. In August 2020, LibMod co-initiated the "Arbeitskreis Belarus" (Belarus Working Group), a forum for expertise and contacts on Belarus, alongside organizations such as the German-Russian Exchange, the association "Human Rights in Belarus," and the Belarusian community "Razam." In May 2021, Russian authorities designated LibMod as an "undesirable NGO," effectively banning its activities in Russia. This move was widely seen as a response to LibMod's critical stance on the Russian government and its support for Ukraine. From 2021 to 2022, LibMod ran the follow-up project "Gegenmedien als Radikalisierungsmaschine" (Counter-media as a radicalization machine), which critically examined channels opposing the established media public sphere, including NachDenkSeiten, Compact, AUF1, RT Deutsch, and Apolut. In 2023/2024, the "Narrativ-Check" project addressed radicalizing messages in digital spaces. Throughout its existence, LibMod has been funded by a mix of public institutional support and private donations. From 2018 to 2022, it received funding for 24 projects totaling over 4.4 million euros. The organization continues to operate as a cross-party think tank and debate platform, with a management team led by Ralf Fücks and an international advisory board of notable figures.

• 2023

  Launched the 'Narrativ-Check' project on radicalizing messages in digital spaces.

• 2021

  Designated as an 'undesirable NGO' by Russian authorities on May 26.

• 2021

  Started the follow-up project 'Gegenmedien als Radikalisierungsmaschine'.

• 2020

  Co-initiated the 'Arbeitskreis Belarus' (Belarus Working Group).

• 2018

  Began receiving institutional funding from the German federal budget.

• 2018

  Launched the 'Gegneranalyse' project on the intellectual history of anti-liberal thought.

• 2017

  Founded by Marieluise Beck and Ralf Fücks in Berlin.

Cross-party political think tank and debate platform defending liberal democracy, promoting ecological modernization, and providing Eastern Europe expertise.

• Ukraine verstehen

  Online portal promoting critical sympathy for Ukraine, funded initially by the International Renaissance Foundation and later by BMZ.

• Gegneranalyse

  Project on the intellectual history of the anti-liberal revolt, featuring critical articles on New Right thinkers and a glossary.

• Gegenmedien als Radikalisierungsmaschine

  Project analyzing counter-media channels and their role in radicalization.

• Narrativ-Check

  Project examining radicalizing messages in digital spaces.

1. 1LibMod - Zentrum Liberale Modernelibmod.de
2. 2Wer wir sind – Über das LibModlibmod.de
3. 3Unser Team - libmod.de - Zentrum Liberale Modernelibmod.de
4. 4Internationaler Beirat des Zentrums Liberale Moderne - libmod.delibmod.de
5. 5Zentrum Liberale Modernewikidata.org
6. 6Zentrum Liberale Modernede.wikipedia.org