Thursday

30th Mar 2023

German elections face Russia cyber threat, Merkel warns

  • Merkel still needs to announce if she will seek a fourth term in office (Photo: Reuters)

German chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that Russia could try to influence Germany’s general election next year with cyber-attacks and disinformation.

The Obama administration earlier accused Moscow of similar meddling in the presidential election campaign.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"We are already now having to deal with information out of Russia or with internet attacks that are of Russian origin or with news, which sows false information," Merkel told reporters at a press conference with the Norwegian prime minister, Erna Solberg on Tuesday (8 November).

She said it was already something that Germany needed to deal with on a daily basis.

“So this could also play a role during the election campaign," Merkel added.

In October Washington formally accused the Russian government of trying to “interfere” in the election by hacking into the Democratic Party's servers.

The charges were dismissed by Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Germany will hold its general election in September 2017, but Merkel has not announced yet if she will seek a fourth term in office.

German intelligence services have already warned of increasing cyber-attacks by Russia.

In May Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, warned that in the previous year, Russia had launched attacks against the German parliament, Nato members and French TV.

"Cyberspace is a place for hybrid warfare," he said at the time. "It opens a new space of operations for espionage and sabotage."

EU to force firms to report major cyber attacks

Negotiators from the European Parliament and national governments have reached an agreement on new cyber-security rules. Amazon, Ebay and Google are expected to be affected.

Opinion

Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity

From the perspective of international relations, the EU is a rare bird indeed. Theoretically speaking it cannot even exist. The charter of the United Nations, which underlies the current system of global governance, distinguishes between states and organisations of states.

Opinion

Turkey's election — the Erdoğan vs Kılıçdaroğlu showdown

Turkey goes to the polls in May for both a new parliament and new president, after incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan decided against a post-earthquake postponement. The parliamentary outcome is easy to predict — the presidential one less so.

Latest News

  1. Firms will have to reveal and close gender pay-gap
  2. Why do 83% of Albanians want to leave Albania?
  3. Police violence in rural French water demos sparks protests
  4. Work insecurity: the high cost of ultra-fast grocery deliveries
  5. The overlooked 'crimes against children' ICC arrest warrant
  6. EU approves 2035 phaseout of polluting cars and vans
  7. New measures to shield the EU against money laundering
  8. What does China really want? Perhaps we could try asking

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us