In the run-up to the German federal election taking place on 23 February 2025, GADMO, EDMO’s Hub covering Germany and Austria, provides weekly insights into key election-related developments in Germany’s digital information space. Please note that the below is a semi-automated translation of the German version of the weekly election newsletter.
This campaign is different from the last general election. Not only because it is shorter due to the early election, but also because it is heavily influenced by foreign actors. Russian disinformation campaigns and tech billionaire Elon Musk are causing unrest. Musk actively supports the far-right populist AfD party and had a high-profile live chat with Alice Weidel. In this edition of the newsletter you will find a fact-check of this conversation and, as always, an overview of the narratives currently being spread.
What we have uncovered recently
Natural disasters and other terrible events are often exploited for disinformation, as the widespread attention they receive provides an ideal platform. During the 2021 federal election, for instance, false claims circulated about CDU candidate Armin Laschet in connection with the floods in Germany. Recently, a new claim has surfaced, alleging that several villas owned by SPD candidate Olaf Scholz were destroyed in the California wildfires—this is entirely fabricated (factcheck in German).
Smearing politicians’ reputations remains a common strategy during election campaigns. Another recent claim suggests that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) was expelled from a press conference in China. However, a factcheck (in German) reveals that the shared video simply shows the conclusion of a 2023 press conference with Baerbock and her then Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang.
What is currently being shared particularly frequently
Last week, we highlighted a fabricated quote falsely attributed to Federal President Steinmeier, claiming he had threatened to annul the federal election if the “wrong party” won. This narrative continues to gain traction, seemingly fueled by the annulment of the Romanian election.
A quote from former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton is now circulating in multiple countries: “We did it in Romania, and we will do it in Germany if necessary.” This statement, taken out of context, is being misinterpreted as evidence that the EU Commission annulled the Romanian election and intends to do the same in Germany. However, this is untrue (factcheck in German): Breton’s statement referred to enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA); after the Romanian election, the EU Commission asked TikTok for information about potential manipulation of online discourse.
Who got it wrong recently
In a live chat with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, AfD leader Alice Weidel made several false and misleading statements. CORRECTIV has factchecked several of these claims. For example, Weidel incorrectly stated that Hitler was a communist (he was a Nazi, and the Nazis saw communists as their adversaries). She also misrepresented Germany’s nuclear phase-out and greatly exaggerated the trend in crime rates. You can read the full investigation in this factcheck (in German).
How the election is being attacked
The credibility of elections is frequently challenged by certain claims. This week, we focus on the narrative of election fraud.
Misinformation in the election campaign differs from post-election misinformation. Before the election, the focus is usually on people and issues, while after the election, the result itself is often called into question. This was the case, for example, with Donald Trump and his supporters after the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Similar claims have also been made in Germany. In May 2024, a YouTuber falsely stated that the “established parties” had simply invalidated the result of a mayoral election because it allegedly didn’t suit them. This was a false claim (factcheck in German); the AfD candidate had failed to submit a required signature.
During the 2024 European and German state elections, various unfounded claims about election fraud were also spread. These narratives often follow similar patterns: accusations that votes are secretly added or removed by politically motivated election officials. Published results are carefully analyzed and labeled as “inconsistent” to stir up doubts. Alleged evidence includes discrepancies between postal and in-person voting, differences between final results and projections or exit polls, or voter turnout figures that are either too high or too low.
Disinformation thrives when actual mistakes occur. For instance, if a media outlet inadvertently publishes incorrect numbers (factcheck in German), it is quickly taken as proof that the elections in Germany cannot be trusted. This conclusion, however, is not valid. The only long-term solution to combat distrust is education about the election process and security mechanisms, such as those in place for postal voting.
