Protecting the Federal Elections from Foreign Interference
Published: January 22, 2025, 4:12 PM
Berlin: Draft law to combat foreign interference in federal elections presented
To protect the upcoming federal elections in 2025 from foreign influence, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior has presented a draft law.
According to the draft, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) will be given a wider mandate to monitor election campaigns for potential foreign interference. This includes the ability to analyze online content and social media activity for suspicious patterns and the establishment of a “Situation Center” to coordinate the response to any identified threats.
Measures to prevent manipulation and disinformation
Furthermore, the draft law introduces a series of measures to prevent manipulation and the spread of disinformation during election campaigns:
- Expansion of criminal prosecution: Intentional interference in the electoral process, including cyberattacks and the spreading of false or misleading information, will be prosecuted more severely.
- Transparency and disclosure requirements: Political parties and campaigns receiving external funding will be required to disclose the sources and amounts of such funding, including any foreign contributions.
- Fact-checking and countermeasures: The BSI and other relevant authorities will be tasked with identifying and debunking false or misleading information disseminated during election campaigns.
Increased penalties for violations
The draft law also significantly increases the penalties for violations of election laws, with fines of up to €500,000 and prison sentences of up to five years being possible in cases of aggravated foreign interference.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser: “We are taking decisive action to protect our democratic elections from foreign influence. The draft law presented today provides us with the necessary tools to identify and counter any attempts to manipulate or undermine the integrity of our electoral process.”
Call for cross-party support
The Federal Government has called on all political parties to support the draft law and to work together to ensure free and fair elections in 2025.
The Bundestag is expected to vote on the draft law in the coming weeks.
Bundestagswahl vor ausländischer Einflussnahme schützen
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