The Society for the Conferring of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen has expanded the composition of its Board of Directors. Five members, who will enrich and strengthen the tasks and mission of the association in the future, were appointed yesterday evening. The Board of Directors elects the Charlemagne Prize laureate and is entrusted with all tasks associated with the awarding of the Charlemagne Prize.

Five appointments to the Board of Directors

It is with great pleasure that the company welcomes the following personalities, who are distinguished by their commitment to European values and their diverse qualifications, as members of the Board of Directors:

• Dr. Margrethe Schmeer (CDU)
• Hermann Josef Pilgram (Alliance 90/The Greens)
• Fabia Kehren (SPD)
• Sabine Scholt
• Former Federal Minister Hermann Gröhe

The appointment of all members is in accordance with the association's articles of association. The Aachen City Council recommended Dr. Margrethe Schmeer on the proposal of the CDU, Hermann Josef Pilgram on the proposal of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and Fabia Kehren on the proposal of the SPD. The Charlemagne Prize Board of Directors decided on their appointments. In addition, two respected personalities who are not members of the Council will strengthen the Board of Directors as so-called "world citizens": Sabine Scholt, renowned journalist and expert on European policy, and Hermann Gröhe, former Federal Minister of Health.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Jürgen Linden, praised the appointments: "With these personalities, we continue to have a strong team that is committed and convincing in promoting the European idea. The combination of their extensive knowledge of the European situation and the political experience of these members will enrich our work and ensure that the ideas of the Charlemagne Prize continue to be widely disseminated in the future."

Proposals contrary to the Articles of Association unanimously rejected

The Charlemagne Prize Society emphasizes its clear focus on European integration, the objectives of the European Union and the promotion of European values and its own statutory objectives. In this context, two of the Council's proposals did not correspond to these orientations:

1. Proposal by the AfD: The Board of Directors unanimously rejected the AfD's proposal, as the party and its program are not compatible with the aims of the pro-European Charlemagne Prize Society, which advocates the promotion of community work. The promotion of humanity, democracy, freedom and human rights as well as European international understanding has formed the basis of the Charlemagne Prize Society since its foundation. The activities of the AfD contradict this idea.
2. Proposal by DIE LINKE: The proposal by the DIE LINKE parliamentary group was also unanimously rejected, as the nominee was elected to the city council via the Volt party list. According to the statutes of the Charlemagne Prize Society, nominated members must belong to a parliamentary group or be active for the parliamentary group in committees or participation bodies. The individual is not a member of DIE LINKE and there is no factional cooperation between Volt and DIE LINKE. The person concerned is not known to have changed parties.

Commitment to the objectives of European unification

The decision on the appointment of the Board of Directors underscores the unwavering commitment of the Society for the Conferring of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen e.V. to the goals of European unification. As an advocate of the values of Europe, the Society is committed to promoting cooperation between peoples, strengthening tolerance and respect and contributing to the realization of world peace.

The company would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment. Together with the new Board of Directors, it will tackle the upcoming projects with vigor.

About the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen

The International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, which was awarded for the first time in 1950, is the oldest and best-known prize awarded to personalities or institutions that have rendered outstanding services to Europe and European unification. For more than 75 years, the prize and its laureates - from the founding fathers of Europe to the hopeful visionaries and key figures of integration to those who played a key role in East-West rapprochement, the builders of democratic institutions and the crisis managers of our time - have reflected the history and integration of post-war Europe. Previous winners include personalities such as Robert Schuman, Jean Monnet, Jacques Delors, Simone Veil, Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, António Guterres, Volodymyr Selenskyj and, in 2025, Ursula von der Leyen. The award ceremony takes place every year on Ascension Day in Aachen's Coronation Hall. Benefiting from a generous donation from the private DSA-Schäfer-Schulz Foundation, the Charlemagne Prize has been awarding annual project prize money of one million euros for charitable and pro-European projects in consultation with the prize winner since 2025.