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Slovenia is among the group of countries calling on Brussels to protect elections in Europe from foreign interference

by AI | 31.Jan 2025 | Europe in brief AI

Twelve EU member states, including Slovenia, urged the European Commission in a letter, just under a month before the parliamentary elections in Germany, to take decisive action to protect the integrity of electoral processes in European countries.

Several EU member states have called on the European Commission to take measures to protect the integrity of electoral processes in European countries. Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA

Brussels/Ljubljana – Twelve EU member states, including France and Germany, as well as Slovenia, warned the European Commission on Friday about increasing threats of foreign interference. They called on Brussels to take decisive action to protect the integrity of electoral processes in European countries.

Ministers or state secretaries for European affairs from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain called on the European Commission to “take a leading role and fully utilize the powers vested by the Digital Services Act (DSA) to mitigate potential risks and expedite ongoing investigations,” as stated in a letter obtained by STA.

“The escalating threats of foreign interference and disruptive interventions in public debates during key electoral events pose a direct challenge to our stability and sovereignty,” they wrote. They emphasized that “recent incidents” necessitate urgent and unified actions to safeguard upcoming elections within the EU and candidate countries.

The Commission was urged to take decisive action to protect the integrity of European electoral processes and “present resolute proposals to strengthen our frameworks and develop our hybrid tool, including the development of a European Democratic Shield,” they noted among other things. The mechanisms set forth by the Digital Services Act (DSA) must be “used without hesitation to enhance the EU’s hybrid response capabilities and consolidate its position as a bastion of democratic stability, maintaining the trust of citizens.”

The letter was addressed to Brussels by ten countries less than a month before the elections in Germany, which will take place on February 23. Germany warns that an increase in hybrid threats is expected, and there is also controversy over billionaire Elon Musk’s support for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). (January 31)