Demokratiestärkung in ländlichen Räumen.

The article summarises current developments in rural and infrastructurally disadvantaged areas and focuses on issues relating to the development of democratic culture: What challenges do rural regions face today in terms of strengthening democratic structures and social cohesion, particularly with the rise of right-wing extremist tendencies in these regions? And what role does political education play in overcoming these challenges? It will be shown that rural areas exhibit diverse social, economic and societal differences, with structurally weak regions often suffering from a lack of resources and civic engagement. Various strategies and measures are proposed to counteract these developments. In particular, the importance of voluntary organisations and associations in rural areas, which can act as important actors for strengthening democratic structures, is emphasised. In this context, the federal programme "Zusammenhalt durch Teilhabe" (social cohesion through participation) is discussed, which aims to contribute to the development and stabilisation of a democratic political culture in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]