61st Theodor Heuss Prize Award Ceremony
Theodor Heuss Prize 2026 awarded to Margrethe Vestager
Theodor Heuss Medals for Marcant, Dorfliebe für alle, and Playing History
Stuttgart, 8 January 2026 – The Theodor Heuss Foundation awards the 61st Theodor Heuss Prize to former EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. With the Theodor Heuss Medals 2026, the Foundation honors outstanding democratic engagement by the influencer and YouTuber Marcant, the East German alliance Dorfliebe für alle, and the Good Gaming initiative Playing History. This was announced today in Stuttgart by the non-partisan Theodor Heuss Foundation.
The award ceremony is held under the annual theme “Shaping the Future – Opportunities for Democratic Resilience.”
By honoring Margrethe Vestager, the Foundation recognizes a politician who, like few others, stands for a resilient democracy in the digital age. With determination and political clarity, Vestager has taken a firm stand against dominant technology corporations and, through landmark legislative initiatives such as the Digital Markets Act, has set international standards for fair and transparent regulation of digital platforms. Her work has made Europe a pioneer of responsible digital governance and has sustainably strengthened the protection of competition as well as of consumers. “Margrethe Vestager demonstrates that democratic capacity to shape policy can be effective even in the face of global concentrations of power. She stands for courage, integrity, and the political will to actively protect and further develop democracy,” said Prof. Dr. Ludwig Theodor Heuss, Chair of the Theodor Heuss Foundation.
With the Theodor Heuss Medals 2026, the Foundation honors individuals and initiatives that strengthen democracy in everyday life, promote social cohesion, and open up new avenues of democratic participation through innovative approaches:
Marcant, influencer and YouTuber, is recognized for his outstanding commitment to democracy in the fight against right-wing extremism. Despite personal threats, he communicates complex political issues in an accessible way, consistently confronts enemies of democracy, and reaches people from far-right social media bubbles with clear language in order to win them back for democracy and constitutional values.
Dorfliebe für alle, an alliance from Eastern Germany, receives the medal for its sustained commitment to a vibrant, inclusive democracy in rural areas. Through a wide range of activities, formats for dialogue, and educational programs, the alliance actively opposes discrimination and fascism while strengthening solidarity, respect, and democratic coexistence.
Playing History GmbH, a Good Gaming company, is honored for its innovative approach in combining education, civic engagement, and digital media. The project enables young players in particular to actively engage with historical perspectives, reflect on them critically, and experience democratic processes in a playful way.
The 61st Theodor Heuss Prize award ceremony will take place as part of a festive event on Saturday, 18 April 2026, in Stuttgart, Germany.
Previous recipients of the Prize and Medals include, among others, the European Court of Justice, former Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhart Baum, the Russian human rights organization Memorial International, Václav Havel, Richard von Weizsäcker, Jürgen Habermas, former President of the German Bundestag Rita Süßmuth, and HateAid. The Theodor Heuss Prize commemorates Germany’s first Federal President and honors exemplary commitment to democracy and human rights.
