Berlin Cultural Administration Works on Reforms After Antisemitism Funding Scandal

Berlin's cultural administration is pressing forward with reforms to ensure legal compliance in funding projects against antisemitism, following the resignation of Senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson. Cultural State Secretary Cerstin Richter-Kotowski (CDU) assured the cultural committee that a working group established under Wedl-Wilson is optimizing procedural and legal structures. The group is implementing recommendations from the State Audit Office, which had criticized severe legal violations and omissions in the allocation of funds for antisemitism prevention. Richter-Kotowski emphasized improving application and approval processes to eliminate inefficiencies. She thanked Wedl-Wilson and former State Secretary Oliver Friederici, who was dismissed on Tuesday. The audit report was published Thursday, with a draft previously available to the administration. Richter-Kotowski noted that political leadership changes but the administration continues its work.