A new project, launched by the German government just before the transfer of power to a new federal government, aims to further restrict freedom of opinion under the guise of combating conspiracy theories and “far-right” ideologies. The “Conspiracy Denial Guidance” created by the Ministry of the Interior and the Family Ministry targets individuals, educators and those considering leaving their jobs. The portal offers resources aligned with the narratives set by the current government, many of which directly target the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its voters.
The project also addresses positions on climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who question the human role in climate change, for example, are labeled as susceptible to conspiracy theories, according to the website referenced by the guidance, conspiracy-virus.de. Similarly, those who believe the government’s measures to combat the pandemic were aimed at suppressing society are also stigmatized as conspiracy theorists, despite evidence showing the measures were overreaching and unnecessarily restricted individual freedoms.
The CDU has raised concerns about the government’s funding practices, revealing that organizations supported and organized by the government during the election campaign targeted the conservative political opposition in Germany. The Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, a news network, continues to call for protests against the opposition.
The government’s new project is seen as a further step in dividing society. Many of the organizations referenced in the guidance are highly controversial due to their political bias and lack of neutrality. Critics argue that the guidance is essentially a denunciation platform.
It is not entirely unfounded to suggest that this is the case. Those identified as conspiracy theory problems by family, friends, in school, at work, or in a counseling context may be required to visit a social worker, whose task is to guide them back to the government-supported narrative. Such measures are characteristic of authoritarian regimes.
US Vice President J.D. Vance has criticized Germany for restricting freedom of opinion and censoring content at the Munich Security Conference, with the government strongly rejecting these claims.