Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Who we are

Founded in 1925, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is the political foundation with the longest tradition in Germany. It was named after the President of Germany at the time, Friedrich Ebert.

As a political foundation, our work is oriented toward the fundamental values of Social Democracy: freedom, justice and solidarity. This aligns us philosophically and ideologically with Social Democracy and the free trade unions. As a non-profit institution, we perform our work independently and autonomously.

We keep our finger on the pulse of the major trends of our times and are always endeavouring to inject fresh ideas to advance Social Democracy now and in the future. Harnessing innovative solutions, we address today’s challenges in a quest to build a just and fair society steeped in solidarity for the future – in Germany, Europe and worldwide.

What we strive for

We stand for a strong, vibrant and diverse democracy in which the participation of all people is a given. We shall defend our democracy with all our might – especially against rightwing agitation and violence.

We are committed to gender justice – in every aspect of life. Because only democracy that establishes real equality between the sexes is true Social Democracy. We fight against parochialism and inequality, and work for social progress that strengthens workers’ rights and safeguards and ensures decent work. We are committed to a socially just economy that serves people, preserves our natural resources, and in which each and every member of society benefits from the digital transformation.

What we do

We connect people: We connect people and their ideas to form a network of Social Democracy. In Germany and over 100 countries around the world, we work with a wide range of partners on forward-looking projects – at the local, national and global levels.

We empower people for politics: We endeavour, promote and work for a society based on solidarity that truly offers equal opportunities for all members of society to participate in politics, economic life and culture. To this end, we empower, inform and train each and every individual who ascribes to these goals.

We are the Social Democracy barometer for future trends: We analyse political trends from a progressive perspective and seek to bring about a future society founded on solidarity with sound arguments. We share our knowledge and innovative ideas with all those who want to make a contribution.

We support talented and committed young people: Because Social Democracy can only thrive if all people, regardless of their social and cultural background, have the same opportunities, we support students and doctoral candidates, especially those from working class and immigrant families.

We preserve the legacy of Social Democracy: Our foundation was named after the first democratically elected German President, Friedrich Ebert, in 1925. This makes us one of the oldest political foundations in the world. We nurture and keep alive the historical roots of Social Democracy and the trade unions to remind us time and again of the struggle for freedom, justice and solidarity.

We get things rolling: We want to inspire others with our values and services. Each and every day anew. That’s why our teams are made up of bright minds and committed individuals who perform their activities in an agile manner, with appreciation for one another and a clear focus. We view criticism and mistakes as an opportunity to review our actions and generate new ideas for our work as a team.

Learn more about FES and visit the German website