Germany's Coalition Plans to Restrict Freedom of Information Act Amid Security Concerns
Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act
Germany's ruling coalition is pushing to significantly restrict the Freedom of Information Act, citing global cyberwarfare and domestic threats. The proposed reforms would limit data access to natural persons, exclude organizations like Greenpeace and Amnesty International, and potentially raise fees. Critics, including opposition lawmakers and civil society groups, argue this move undermines transparency and civil rights, calling it a drastic step backward for government accountability.
Under the pretext of having to adapt to new security threats, they are fundamentally undermining the legal foundations of government transparency.
- eigenspace
Worth noting that this is a push from the CDU who are leading the government, but their coalition partner the SPD has already come out pretty strongly against this, so it's rather unclear if this would ever actually go through (not to mention challenges from constitutional courts). The CDU cannot unilaterally push through legislation without the SPD.
The SPD has rolled over for the CDU in the past on things, but they've also blocked things they thought were important enough to block, so it's really anyone's guess if this go through (I personally wouldn't bet on it, but I'm sure a bunch of dour pessimists will come explain to me that it's a foregone conclusion and I'm naive).
- OKRainbowKid
This seems to be the latest attempt of the conservative CDU to further reduce transparency and accountability of government officials. One could posit the goal is to enable corruption without all that hassle of the media potentially finding out about it.
- Markomancer
As a freedom of information officer for a public body in another EU country, I feel that some of these changes such as the restriction of requests to EU citizens are inevitable in my country too.
The volume of FOI requests we get is huge and they are more time intensive than ever, due to the fact most are now written by llms.
I see no reason why the taxpayers of any EU country should be footing the bill for requests from non EU citizens. These requests take a significant amount of public sector resources to compile records and deliver decisions.
Given this, why should a non-EU citizen's request be held in equal esteem to EU citizens'?
It comes down to the intent behind these laws. Is it to provide transparency to the citizens that government are accountable to or is it to provide records/information to anyone from anywhere in the world.
- yukeabu
For decades, we have become accustomed to similar anti-constitutional moves from the CDU/CSU. Remarkably, while the German government fails to implement such policies, former CDU chancellor candidate Ursula von der Leyen is pushing them through at the EU level. For some reason, she is now at the helm of the EU. According to German law, anti-constitutional actions are normally considered terrorism.
- Aeolun
Wait? They previously allowed everybody and their mother to request the information? Limiting it to ‘citizens of the european union’ seems eminently reasonable.
- sajithdilshan
I don't think this would pass at all, the German parliament is now in summer break and once they're back there would be 3 federal state elections and depending on its outcome, the current government could collapse before the end of this year.
- miohtama
What incidents are driving such a change?
- snowpid
While I disagree with the doom of some posters (especially coming over from r/de) I do think this is a systematic issue we need to tackle.
These organisation fights for a direct democratic veto right so any change change can be fought against with enough signs. Please support (and people from other countries feel inspired)