Understand, compare and form your own judgement.
Someone wanting to learn how an election works or what parliament does first needs understandable information. Hamburg’s state agency provides publications and events for this purpose, among other services. The term civic education describes this role more precisely than a general administrative or advisory label.
Civic education should enable learners to form their own judgement. Under the principles of the Beutelsbach Consensus, it must not impose a desired opinion; genuinely contested issues should remain recognisable as contested. A useful study discussion can therefore examine several reasoned positions without prescribing how to vote.
The other three answers
Check the main role of the institution named.
at the municipal regulatory office
The municipal regulatory office in this answer describes an administrative office for public-order duties. The name does not identify the state agency specialising in civic education.
at the consumer advice center
The consumer advice centre provides information and advice on consumer matters and represents consumer interests. This may involve politics, but it does not replace the requested general civic-education institution.
at the churches
Churches may discuss social questions. This answer is too general, however: the question is asking for the state’s public institution specialising in civic education.
The appropriate test answer does not exclude other sources of information.
News media, parties, associations and personal conversations can also convey information or political positions. The test question assigns an institutional role. It does not claim that only one institution is allowed to provide information about politics.
Non-partisan does not mean indifferent to democracy and fundamental rights. The aim is to enable independent judgement rather than promote a party. For specific dates, registration and any charges for individual services, consult the state agency’s current website.
Public educational mandate · Hamburg State Agency for Civic Education ↗Political topics → State Agency for Civic Education.
The word education identifies the key role: understanding political issues and institutions.
Three words for this question
- die politische Bildungcivic education
- Learning about politics, institutions and participation.
- überparteilichnon-partisan
- Not directed towards promoting a particular party.
- das Urteiljudgement
- A reasoned personal assessment after examining information.