Alliance for Innovation and Justice

The Alliance for Innovation and Justice (German: Bündnis für Innovation und Gerechtigkeit; BIG) is a minor party in Germany aimed primarily at immigrants of Islamic origin.^[4][5][6] It was founded in the city of Cologne in 2010.^[7] BIG was founded predominantly by Muslims, but does not see itself as an Islamic party.^[8]

Alliance for Innovation and Justice Bündnis für Innovation und Gerechtigkeit
Abbreviation	BIG
Leader	Haluk Yildiz
Founded	21 February 2010; 15 years ago (2010-02-21)[1]
Headquarters	Peter-Sander-Straße 15, 55252, Wiesbaden
Membership	2000[2]
Ideology	Muslim interests
European affiliation	Free Palestine Party[3]
Colours	Orange
Bundestag	0 / 709
European Parliament	0 / 96
Website
www.bigpartei.de
Politics of Germany Political parties Elections

History

BIG was established in Cologne on March 2010 when three regional voters associations from Bonn, Cologne, and Gelsenkirchen merged.^[8] Later, BIG was merged with other muslim-interests political party, Alliance for Peace & Fairness (BFF), and started calling itself "BIG Bonn".^[7]

In 2013, the MDU took part in the annual anti-Israel Quds Day demonstration in Berlin with banners and leaflets. The chairman and spokesperson of the MDU, Bilal Uwe Wilbert, a member of the BIG board from 2014, was one of the main speakers at the Al-Quds demonstration in 2013 as well as in 2014 in Berlin.^[9][10][11]

On March 2014, the Muslim Democratic Union (MDU), Islamist political party that was founded in Osnabrück in 2010 and was mainly active in Lower Saxony joined BIG.^[12][13] Since its founding, BIG has only been able to win a small amount of seats at local level.^[14]

Ideology

According to its own statements, BIG wants to campaign for the interests of migrants and wants to change society in Germany by "achieving social justice through multicultural, diverse and innovative solutions".^[15] In its 2024 European election manifesto, it supports open migration and refugee policies, it demands that language classes for migrants be made mandatory in order to promote their participation in German society. BIG also demands that asylum procedures be accelerated.^[7][16]

Controversy

BIG is considered by some sources to be a German offshoot of the right-wing Turkish Justice and Development Party.^[14] The party leadership, however, claims its independence from AK.^[17] After investigation by law enforcement, no evidence could be found that the founders or members of the party were affiliated Turkish government.^[16]

Election Results

Federal Parliament (Bundestag)

Election	Constituency		Party list		Seats	+/–	Status
	Votes	%	Votes	%
2017	2,680	0.01 (#23)	17,743	0.04 (#22)	0 / 709	New	Extra-parliamentary

European Parliament

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	EP Group
2019	68,647	0.18 (#23)	0 / 96	New	–
2024	31,141	0.08 (#29)	0 / 96	0	Free Palestine Party