Learn, discuss and participate.
Civic education explains how democratic institutions work, how people can participate and why fundamental and human rights matter. The agency uses formats such as publications, digital content and events.
Since 1 January 2026, the agency has been a public-law institution with partial legal capacity under the President of the Landtag. That organisational change does not alter the question bank’s answer. It remains the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung.
The other three answers
Other organisations may discuss politics, but have different primary roles.
at the churches
Churches can address social issues and provide education. This question, however, asks for the state agency expressly established for non-partisan civic education.
at the municipal regulatory office
The municipal regulatory office deals with local regulatory matters. It is not the state’s general civic education agency.
at the consumer advice center
The consumer advice centre mainly helps with consumer matters, such as contracts and purchases. Its focus differs from general civic education.
Non-partisan does not mean indifferent to democracy.
The agency should not campaign for a particular party. At the same time, its statutory remit is grounded in the Basic Law, state constitution and human rights. Promoting democratic values and independent judgment is explicitly part of that remit.
It is a source of political information, rather than the only possible source. Individual administrative matters remain the responsibility of the competent authority. Check the current offer for events, materials and participation conditions.
Non-partisan civic education · NRW State Agency for Civic Education ↗Understanding political topics → State Agency for Civic Education.
The name describes its remit: education about politics, on a non-partisan democratic basis.
Three words for this question
- überparteilichnon-partisan
- Not committed to the interests of one particular party.
- die politische Bildungcivic education
- Knowledge and skills for understanding political issues and participating democratically.
- die Urteilsbildungforming a judgment
- Assessing information and developing a reasoned view of one’s own.