# Free Horizon

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**Free Horizon** (German: *FREiER HORIZONT*), is a minor [single-issue](/source/Single-issue_politics) [political party in Germany](/source/List_of_political_parties_in_Germany) that opposes the expansion of [wind turbine](/source/Wind_turbine) infrastructure. It is primarily active in the state of [Mecklenburg-Vorpommern](/source/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern).

## History

### Foundation

The party's predecessor, the *Aktionsbündnis Gegen den unkontrollierten Windkraftausbau - Freier Horizont* was founded on 22 November 2014 in [Ivenack](/source/Ivenack) as a merger of over 40 local associations and citizens' initiatives that opposed the expansion of [wind turbine](/source/Wind_turbine) infrastructure in their areas.[1][2] This group aimed to initiate a [citizens' initiative](/source/Popular_initiative) to restrict the construction of new wind turbines in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. After 22,000 signatures were collected and the initiative presented, it was rejected by the [Landtag](/source/Landtag_of_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). Following this defeat, the group announced the foundation of a new political party named *FREiER HORIZONT*, aiming to contest in the [2016 state election](/source/2016_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern_state_election).[3][4]

The party was founded on 27 February 2016 in [Altentreptow](/source/Altentreptow) which lies in the most [wind turbine](/source/Wind_turbine)-dense area in the country. The 32 founding members elected [Norbert Schumacher](/source/Norbert_Schumacher), a [veterinarian](/source/Veterinarian), as the party's leader.[5] He has remained in this position since.[6]

### Ballot controversy

Upon its registration for the [2016 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election](/source/2016_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern_state_election), FREiER HORIZONT noted the absence of a short-form for the party on the ballot, believing the missing abbreviation to impair voters' ability to find the party on the ballot. When asked about the party's official short-form however, [Schumacher](/source/Norbert_Schumacher) stated that the party neither had nor wanted one, as was corroborated in the party's statute at the time. The state returning officer, Doris Petersen-Goes, denied any wrongdoing and noted that the office couldn't print something on the ballots that doesn't exist. The office further denied the reprint of ballots, which the party had demanded.[7][8] The situation was covered in an episode of *Realer Irrsinn* on the [political satire](/source/Political_satire) show [extra 3](/source/Extra_3).[9]

The party received 0.7% of the vote (5,793 votes) in the election and thus missed the 5%-[threshold](/source/Electoral_threshold) for entry into the [Landtag](/source/Landtag_of_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). After the controversy, the party changed its statute to use its full name, FREiER HORIZONT, as its official short-form.[10]

### Local engagement

The party entered four [district councils](/source/Districts_of_Germany#District_council) with a total of six seats during the [2019 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern local elections](/source/2019_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern_local_elections).[11] FREiER HORIZONT did not however participate in the [2024 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern local elections](/source/2024_Mecklenburg-Vorpommern_local_elections) as a political party, instead splitting itself into multiple separate [voters' associations](/source/Grouping_of_electors#Germany), one per [district](/source/Districts_of_Germany). Two of these associations, the ones in [Mecklenburgische Seenplatte](/source/Mecklenburgische_Seenplatte_(district)) and [Ludwigslust-Parchim](/source/Ludwigslust-Parchim), won two and one seat respectively. The FREiER HORIZONT members in both district councils formed a faction with the [Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance](/source/Sahra_Wagenknecht_Alliance).[12][13][14]

## Organisation

[Norbert Schumacher](/source/Norbert_Schumacher) has been the leader of the party since its foundation.[6]

The party had 60 members in June 2016[15] and 80 members in August 2016.[16] This number decreased to 40 in 2021.[11]

## Program

The party views itself as neither [left](/source/Left-wing_politics), [right](/source/Right-wing_politics), or in the [centre](/source/Centrism).[5] Despite its focus on one primary issue, FREiER HORIZONT declines being labeled a [single-issue](/source/Single-issue_politics) party, as the party also focuses on rural development and the expansion of funding towards cultural projects. Martin Koschklar, a political scientist from [Rostock](/source/Rostock) however, does view the party as focused on [single-issue politics](/source/Single-issue_politics).[17][11]

Although the predecessor of FREiER HORIZONT initially established limited cooperation with the [Alternative for Germany](/source/Alternative_for_Germany) (AfD), due to similar views on wind turbines, [Schumacher](/source/Norbert_Schumacher) soon distanced his party from the AfD,[18] differentiating his party though different views on immigration and a "more constructive" appearance.[19]

## Election results

### State elections

Year MV Party list Constituency Seats Votes % Votes % 2016 5,793 0.7 6,603 0.8 0 2021 2,491 0.3 3,348 0.4 0

## References

1. ["Startseite - Freier Horizont"](https://aktionsbuendnis.freier-horizont.de/startseite.html) (in German). *aktionsbuendnis.freier-horizont.de*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20181114122706/https://aktionsbuendnis.freier-horizont.de/startseite.html) 2018-11-14 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. Online, FOCUS. ["Aktionsbündnis "Freier Horizont" gegen Ausbau der Windenergie"](https://www.focus.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/energie-aktionsbuendnis-freier-horizont-gegen-ausbau-der-windenergie_id_4292353.html) (in German). *FOCUS Online*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190223161515/https://www.focus.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/energie-aktionsbuendnis-freier-horizont-gegen-ausbau-der-windenergie_id_4292353.html) 2019-02-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. ["Neuer politischer Wind: Windkraftgegner wollen mit eigener Partei zur Landtagswahl antreten | Nordkurier.de"](http://www.nordkurier.de/mecklenburg-vorpommern/windkraftgegner-wollen-mit-eigener-partei-zur-landtagswahl-antreten) (in German). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160127110834/http://www.nordkurier.de/mecklenburg-vorpommern/windkraftgegner-wollen-mit-eigener-partei-zur-landtagswahl-antreten) 2016-01-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. deutschlandfunkkultur.de (2019-09-11). ["Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Gemeinden protestieren gegen Windkraft"](https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/mecklenburg-vorpommern-gemeinden-protestieren-gegen-100.html) (in German). *Deutschlandfunk Kultur*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. Sander, Birgit (2022-05-11). ["Windkraftkritiker gründen Partei "Freier Horizont" | SVZ"](https://www.svz.de/deutschland-welt/mecklenburg-vorpommern/artikel/windkraftkritiker-gruenden-partei-freier-horizont-40421511) (in de-DE). *svz.de*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220815010409/https://www.svz.de/deutschland-welt/mecklenburg-vorpommern/artikel/windkraftkritiker-gruenden-partei-freier-horizont-40421511) 2022-08-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. ["Über uns - Freier Horizont"](https://freier-horizont.de/ueber-uns.html). *freier-horizont.de*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. ROLL. ["Landtagswahl MV: Lücke auf dem Wahlzettel | svz.de"](https://www.svz.de/regionales/mecklenburg-vorpommern/landtagswahl-mv-2016/luecke-auf-dem-wahlzettel-id14506196.html) (in de-DE). *svz*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160906180332/https://www.svz.de/regionales/mecklenburg-vorpommern/landtagswahl-mv-2016/luecke-auf-dem-wahlzettel-id14506196.html) 2016-09-06 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. ["Freier Horizont stellt Ultimatum wegen Wahlzetteln"](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/freier-horizont-stellt-ultimatum-wegen-wahlzetteln-1238572) (in German). *www.nordkurier.de*. 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. [*extra 3: Realer Irrsinn: 'Freier Horizont' mit freiem Feld - hier anschauen*](https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/extra-3/realer-irrsinn-freier-horizont-mit-freiem-feld/ndr/Y3JpZDovL25kci5kZS84ZjE5MWIwOS02OTA5LTRlZTgtOTVjNC00NWYwMDE4MGUwZTc) (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-24. – via www.ardmediathek.de.

1. ["Satzung der Partei FREiER HORIZONT in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern"](https://freier-horizont.de/satzung/) (in de-DE). *freier-horizont.de*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240221110827/https://freier-horizont.de/satzung/) 2024-02-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. Bildung, Bundeszentrale für politische (2021-08-26). ["FREiER HORIZONT | FREiER HORIZONT | Landtagswahl Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 2021 | Wer steht zur Wahl?"](https://www.bpb.de/themen/parteien/wer-steht-zur-wahl/mecklenburg-vorpommern-2021/338684/freier-horizont/) (in German). *bpb.de*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. NDR.de. ["Thomas Diener (CDU) neuer und alter Kreistagspräsident"](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/haff-mueritz/Kreistag-Mecklenburgische-Seenplatte-konstituiert-sich-,mvregioneubrandenburg482.html) (in German). *ndr.de*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. Lanin, Matthias (2024-06-26). ["Freier Horizont in der Seenplatte bald mit der Wagenknecht-Partei?"](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/neubrandenburg/freier-horizont-in-der-seenplatte-bald-mit-der-wagenknecht-partei-2639158) (in German). *www.nordkurier.de*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. Roß, Silke (2024-08-13). ["Das wollen BSW und Freier Horizont im Kreistag Ludwigslust-Parchim bewegen"](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/hagenow/das-wollen-bsw-und-freier-horizont-im-kreistag-ludwigslust-parchim-bewegen-2771366) (in German). *www.nordkurier.de*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. deutschlandfunk.de (2016-06-02). ["Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Partei sagt Windkraftanlagen den Kampf an"](https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/mecklenburg-vorpommern-partei-sagt-windkraftanlagen-den-100.html) (in German). *Deutschlandfunk*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. ["FREiER HORIZONT"](https://www.parteienlexikon.de/FREiERHORIZONT_2016.php). *www.parteienlexikon.de*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. Lübecker Nachrichten, Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. ["Altentreptow – Windkraftgegner gründen Partei "Freier Horizont" / Norddeutschland / Nachrichten - LN - Lübecker Nachrichten"](https://www.ln-online.de/Nachrichten/Norddeutschland/Windkraftgegner-gruenden-Partei-Freier-Horizont/) (in de-DE). *Lübecker Nachrichten*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160530202347/https://www.ln-online.de/Nachrichten/Norddeutschland/Windkraftgegner-gruenden-Partei-Freier-Horizont/) 2016-05-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. ["Landtagswahl 2016: Eiszeit zwischen Windkraftgegnern: AfD meckert über "Freie Horizonte" | Nordkurier.de"](https://www.nordkurier.de/ueckermuende/eiszeit-zwischen-windkraftgegnern-afd-meckert-ueber-freie-horizonte-2324054707.html) (in German). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160725115906/https://www.nordkurier.de/ueckermuende/eiszeit-zwischen-windkraftgegnern-afd-meckert-ueber-freie-horizonte-2324054707.html) 2016-07-25 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

1. deutschlandfunk.de (2016-06-02). ["Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Partei sagt Windkraftanlagen den Kampf an"](https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/mecklenburg-vorpommern-partei-sagt-windkraftanlagen-den-100.html) (in German). *Deutschlandfunk*. Retrieved 2025-08-24.

## External links

- [Official website](https://freier-horizont.de/) (in German)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Free Horizon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Horizon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Horizon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.