406. Where can you obtain information about political topics in North Rhine-Westphalia?

Answer options

1. at the churches
2. at the municipality’s public order office (Ordnungsamt)
3. at the consumer advice center
4. at the State Agency for Civic Education

Explanation

Responsibility for civic/political education in Germany lies with both the Federation and the Länder; in North Rhine–Westphalia this is carried out by the State Agency for Civic Education, a subordinate state institution that must remain party-political neutral. Its mandate follows from the democracy principle in Article 20(2) of the Basic Law, the freedoms of expression and information in Article 5, and the Länder’s cultural sovereignty, and is professionally framed by the Beutelsbach Consensus (no indoctrination, presentation of controversies, learner orientation). Churches, municipal public order offices, and consumer advice centers serve different functions and are not tasked with providing state civic education in a balanced, pluralistic manner.