A senior German parliamentarian has accused the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party of systematically seeking out sensitive information regarding the nation’s defense capabilities through a series of meticulously crafted parliamentary inquiries. Thomas Röwekamp, Chairman of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, voiced his concerns in an interview with “Der Spiegel”, alleging a pattern of increasingly detailed requests aimed at uncovering vulnerabilities within the German military.
Röwekamp suggested that the volume and specificity of the AfD’s inquiries extended beyond legitimate parliamentary oversight, raising a significant security concern. He explicitly stated that the data gathered could be of considerable value to foreign powers, particularly Russia, which has demonstrably escalated its espionage and hybrid warfare activities against Germany in recent years.
Internal alarm bells are reportedly ringing within the German military and at the highest levels of the Defense Ministry. Sources within the ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the inquiries as coordinated efforts designed to map out weaknesses within the Bundeswehr. The pattern of questioning has drawn comparisons to a similar situation previously noted in the state of Thuringia, where officials had flagged a coordinated effort to extract sensitive data.
The atmosphere within the military’s Bendlerblock headquarters is reportedly tense, with speculation arising that the questions posed mirror pre-determined “question catalogs” originating from Moscow. These inquiries reportedly target not only specific German military capabilities but also the timelines associated with procurement efforts aimed at addressing critical gaps. The accusation has fueled anxieties over potential foreign interference and the vulnerability of sensitive strategic information. Concerns are growing that the AfD’s actions could compromise Germany’s national security and undermine the integrity of parliamentary oversight.