Germany is considering potentially restricting access to classified information for regional security authorities after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Reuters writes.
On 6 September, the AfD received the largest number of votes in the Saxony-Anhalt election but did not win an absolute majority. On 20 September, the Left Party won the election in Berlin.
Germany’s federal system provides that the states have their own domestic intelligence agencies, which are under the control of local authorities. They share information with one another and co-operate with the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
German politicians and former security officials have voiced concerns that if AfD or Left Party representatives come to power, confidential information could end up under their control.
The head of the Christian Social Union’s parliamentary group, Alexander Hoffmann, said that in Berlin the discussion concerns, among other things, information on organised crime, while in Saxony-Anhalt it concerns data linked to Russia.
Reuters notes that the debate about restricting access to confidential data has been ongoing since opinion polls began to point to a possible AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister-President Hendrik Wüst previously called for the creation of a special federal-state commission to examine information-sharing arrangements in the event that a government is formed with AfD participation.
One security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said preparations for possible scenarios are under way. At the same time, final decisions depend on what governments are formed in the states.
Officials stress that this is not about a complete halt to information-sharing. Among other things, they point to the need to pass on data about potential terrorist threats.
The AfD rejects allegations of ties to Russia and says its position is to seek to avoid war and to oppose further military support for Ukraine. The party also accuses the security services of political interference.
The Left Party, for its part, criticises the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The party’s election manifesto in Berlin included a proposal to abolish the state office and replace it with another body under democratic oversight.
At the same time, party representatives say they do not support links to organised crime. One Left Party MP, Ferat Koçak, previously acknowledged contacts on social media with a member of a family suspected by Berlin police of links to criminal gangs, and said he would review his style of communication.
- In Germany, left-wing and far-right political forces are strengthening their positions; they oppose continued support for Ukraine and favour improving relations with Russia.
- In the Saxony-Anhalt election, the AfD came first, edging close to an absolute majority, while the CDU lost more than half of its electoral support.