German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has expressed concern over the potential influence of foreign powers in the upcoming federal election. Russia is of particular focus, with Faeser believing it aims to damage democracy in Germany.
To protect the election from external interference, as well as hate speech and unfair political advertising, Faeser met with representatives of major internet platforms, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X. She demanded that the platform operators strictly adhere to and implement Germany’s and the EU’s censorship laws.
“Our security authorities are vigilant in all areas to detect and stop attempts at foreign influence and targeted disinformation before the federal election. Lies and propaganda are instruments, especially used by Russia, to attack our democracy. (..) The large internet platforms bear responsibility for what happens on their platforms. The operators must uphold the law, as democratically decided in Europe. In light of the current discussions, it was important for me to remind them of this” Faeser said.
Western European countries frequently claim that Russia interferes in elections, but they often lack concrete evidence to support these claims. The annulment of the election in Romania, where no concrete evidence of Russian interference was found, serves as an example.
European Parliament member Thierry Mariani of the Identity and Democracy group pointed out on Twitter that the OSCE found no evidence of Russian election interference in Romania.
Similarly, no concrete evidence has been presented to support the claim of massive Russian influence and election manipulation in Georgia.
Against this backdrop, it remains unclear why Faeser believes Russia will exert influence on the German federal election.
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has established a special task force to protect the federal election and a website to inform the public about the types of potential foreign influence. The office also refers to the “Tip-off Hotline against Extremism, Terrorism, and Spying”. Citizens can report suspected foreign influence to the office by calling 0228 99 792-6000 or 030 18 792-6000.