Several hundred demonstrate against Deutsche Welle budget cuts
22.04.2026, DPA
Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa
Several hundred people protested in central Berlin Wednesday against austerity measures and job cuts at the international broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
A procession marched from Alexanderplatz to the Brandenburg Gate in the afternoon.
There, a large sculpture by carnival artist Jacques Tilly had been erected, depicting Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and an Iranian ayatollah laughing arm in arm – with the slogan "Deutsche Welle cut – autocrats rejoice."
The demonstration was organized by the Verdi trade union and the German Journalists’ Association (DJV). The protest is against €10 million ($11.5 million) in cuts to federal funding, which will force Deutsche Welle to make savings of €21 million this year.
This will affect 160 full-time jobs at the broadcaster, which is headquartered in Bonn, broadcasts in 32 languages and is funded by taxpayers’ money.
“Germany could not give autocrats like Vladimir Putin a greater gift,” criticized DJV Federal Chairman Mika Beuster. “Just now, when democracy is under pressure worldwide, the federal government is cutting funding for Deutsche Welle instead of increasing it.”
Verdi also fears serious losses in reach, “while voices of disinformation are growing stronger.”
Tilly, for his part, called the cuts "political stupidity."
“After all, the broadcaster is an important voice for freedom and democracy in many countries,” the sculptor told dpa.
The broadcaster's director-general, Barbara Massing, has called the cuts "extremely painful" and said they were undermining Deutsche Welle’s competitiveness at a time when a strong German and European presence was becoming increasingly important in geopolitical terms.
Among other things, the Greek service is being discontinued, the journalistic portfolio in other languages is being scaled back and numerous posts across the organization are being cut.
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