Germany’s parliamentary election is scheduled for February 23, and those currently in power continue coming up with some highly controversial moves, as they maneuver to remain in office.
This time, what at times appears as a frenzied activity includes Vice President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Sinan Selen suggesting that those criticizing the public broadcaster (ORR) are “a danger to democracy“; at the same time, Interior Ministry under Nancy Faeser is warning police officers against membership in some regional branches of parties like AfD (that have over 20 percent approval rating ahead of the vote) – which are treated as “confirmed” right-wing extremists.
Meanwhile, those in power in the state of Hesse have set up a task force to “analyze and coordinate measures regarding opinions on social media platforms,” independent online commentators are reporting.
Faeser’s ministry’s “contribution” came as a memorandum that threatened members of the federal police with consequences, including dismissal, should they join groups denounced not only as “extreme right-wing” but also “racist” and – “anti-human.”
It’s unclear what that last “definition” might mean in Germany’s political and ideological jargon, and whether it is a criminalized offense, nevertheless, police officers have been warned.
In Hesse, the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution announced its task force (“a temporary organizational division”) that will keep an eye on opinions expressed on social media, particularly those that are popular (that “accumulate”).
The “temporary” nature looks to be related to the need to control the narratives ahead of the election, and the Hesse leadership decided to bring together counter-intelligence and domestic intelligence extremism officers into the new “organizational division.”
The state’s interior minister, Roman Poseck, is in charge of the Office. In a statement, Poseck reveals he is of the persuasion that online opinions ought to be “filtered” in some way.
Otherwise, he seems to consider “unfiltered” opinions (aka, free speech) a conduit for “disinformation” – which is “a major problem, especially during elections.”
Poseck then goes on to talk about “foreign influence,” undermined “trust,” and other points regularly repeated by the EU, most of the member-countries’ ruling elites, and readily parroted by legacy media.
