Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 6, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
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A survey reveals 90% of Germans fear foreign election interference, mainly from Russia and the U.S. The internet is crucial for election info, with calls for stronger digital policies.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly 90% of Germans believe foreign actors, primarily from Russia and the U.S., are trying to influence upcoming national elections through social media, a survey found on Thursday.
Industry association Bitkom conducted a representative survey of more than 1,000 eligible voters last month that found 45% of respondents believe Russia is at the forefront of manipulation attempts, followed closely by the United States at 42%, and well ahead of China, at 26%, and Eastern Europe at 8%.
For some two-thirds (69%) of eligible voters, the internet is an important source of information about the elections set for February 23, but conversations with friends and family continue to be more important, at 82%. Television, at 76%, still plays an important role as well, especially for people over 75.
Roughly 80% of respondents called for the next government to make digital policy one of its priorities and 71% were in favour of creating a new, independent digital ministry, found Bitkom.
"The new digital ministry must be equipped with all the necessary rights and resources, needs its own budget and a digital proviso for new laws and projects," said Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst at a news conference.
(Reporting by Christian Kraemer; Writing by Miranda Murray)
The article discusses German concerns about foreign interference in their elections, primarily from Russia and the U.S.
The survey found that nearly 90% of Germans fear foreign election interference, with Russia and the U.S. as main actors.
80% want digital policy prioritized, and 71% support creating an independent digital ministry.
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