Germany’s SPD-Governed States Oppose Palantir’s Use in Law Enforcement
The SPD-governed states in Germany have expressed concerns over the intention of the Union-led states to utilize software from the US-based company Palantir for improved law enforcement efforts. This is evident in a draft resolution for the Interior Ministers’ Conference in Bremerhaven, reported by the newspapers of the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”.
The SPD-governed states acknowledge in their draft resolution that a pressing need for a uniform research and analysis platform exists and are aware that the states of Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg have already gained valuable experience in using the VeRA platform, a customized Palantir product for Germany.
However, the SPD-governed states emphasize that the central requirement of digital sovereignty must be applied to all IT products of automated data analysis and that the use of Palantir’s products, including VeRA, excludes the possibility of standard use in the future. They argue that one should not expose oneself to structural influence by foreign states.
Thuringia’s Interior Minister, Georg Maier, stated to the RND, “The geopolitical situation has drastically changed. Therefore, digital sovereignty is of utmost importance in the area of internal security. We cannot afford to be dependent on foreign providers.” According to Maier, Palantir’s data analysis platforms are not suitable for becoming the standard application of the police in Germany and a national or European solution is needed for this sensitive area.
In contrast, the Union-led states advocate for the use of the software, believing that such analysis platforms can make a significant contribution to effective crime prevention and prosecution, as well as the fight against serious and organized crime.