Politics

Germany: nearly 90% of voters fear foreign manipulation

Published

1 year ago

February 7, 2025

Russia's interference remains faceless but the world's richest man has been preaching 'peoples' revolutions' while overtly supporting far-right candidates across Western democracies © Hendrik Schmidt/dpa/picture alliance

A poll of German voters found that 88% fear manipulation from foreign actors or governments as they prepare to cast ballots on February 23. Russia and the US ranked as the perceived top threats, followed by China.

German voters are overwhelmingly concerned about foreign election interference according to a new poll published by the Brussels-based digital industry association Bitkom.

Overall, the poll found that 88% of those questioned — the survey polled just over 1,000 eligible voters — expressed fear that outside forces, whether governments, groups or individuals, would actively attempt to sway the vote through social media campaigns.

Ranked highest among those suspected of nefarious activity was Russia (45%), followed by the US (42%) and China (26%). There was also concern voiced over East European actors (8%).

Those voters polled also provided insight into how they form their political opinions, with 82% citing conversations with friends and family, 76% television and 69% the internet.

Some 80% of respondents felt the next government should address the problem of potential internet and social media misinformation by prioritizing digital policy.

Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst picked up on a trend in which 71% of respondents called for a new independent ministry to be created to address the issue, saying, “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.”

German voters already seeing disinformation

One-third of those voters who say they use the internet as a source of news and information told Bitkom that they had already seen misinformation online.

The biggest concerns expressed by voters overwhelmingly had to do with the threat of so-called deepfakes — or realistic but entirely fakevideos, photos or audio — and targeted disinformation. Some 56% of respondents said German democracy was ill-prepared to counter such threats.

Another 30% of respondents said they had already run into misinformation about the coming election online.

“Voter awareness for disinformation is increasing,” said Bitkom’s Wintergerst. “That is an important first step against Fake News. Disinformation can dramatically influence Germany’s federal elections by generally skewing public opinion and defaming candidates or parties.”

Wintergerst called elections the “heart of or democracy,” but warned that “disinformation undermines trust in the democratic process.” On a positive note, he added that “an informed society is the best protection against digital manipulation.”

German voters suspicious of Russian, US meddling

Among those countries with a reputation for foreign election interference, Russia has earned a top spot. Its well-documented troll farms, its use of bots and its efforts in past US and European elections provide ample evidence thereof.

Russia also has an antagonistic relationship with most European countries, is interested in driving EU disunity and has plenty of axes to grind with all but the most extreme populist parties on the continent — both left and right.

One glaringly obvious source of active US interference is Elon Musk.

The world’s richest man, Donald Trump’s biggest single donor and the owner of the social media platform X, Musk has been brazen in his insults of German leaders and his backing of the far-right and in part extreme Alternative for Germany (AfD)party, calling it the country’s only hope.

In early January, Musk, who has 216 million followers on X, sat down with AfD leader Alice Weidel for a rambling one-hour live discussion on the platform. He has also made a name for himself by pushing far-right extremists in the UK, using his outsized media presence — and lack of accountability — to push for government change.

US social media companies have generally abdicated responsibility for keeping disinformation in check, arguing consumers need to be aware of what they read and shirking any gatekeeping responsibility for the masses of disinformation generated and distributed on their sites.

It remains an open question as to whether the EU, which generally has tougher Code of Practice on Disinformation standards than the US (as seen in the EU’S Digital Services Act, or DSA), is up to the task of holding those sites responsible.

Domestic threats cannot be ignored — social media and the far-right

China was the third entity mentioned in the study and is known for actively engaging in malign cyber activities. Beyond its digital acts, the country has also found its way into Germany’s political system by infiltrating political parties.

Specifically, questions have been raised about Chinese influence within the far-right AfD as well as an unholy Chinese-Russian alliance that has plagued the party.

Beyond party boss Weidel’s long and unclear relationship with China, the Kremlin-friendly AfD was most famously embroiled in a Chinese spy scandal when the party’s top EU candidate, Maximilian Krah, was found to have a Chinese spy working in his office.

“If Russian interference is like a storm hitting Germany, China’s is like global warming,” said Thomas Haldenwang of the problem back in 2022, when he was president of Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Voters polled in the Bitkom survey also voiced broad concern (66%) over AfD’s own aggressive social media campaigns, specifically those targeting young voters. Another 87% of those polled were of the opinion that society itself must do more to confront far-right voices online, 78% said the same of the far-left.

There was also largely consensus on a final related point — with 79% of survey respondents agreeing that the biggest winners on social media were populists.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse

Author: Jon Shelton

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Politics

2027: More Than 50 Lawmakers Lose APC Reps Tickets in Major Primary Election

Published

12 hours ago

May 20, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

No fewer than 50 members of the 10th House of Representatives are unlikely to be part of the 11th Assembly after losing out in the All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries held on Saturday.

This marks one of the largest turnovers of sitting federal lawmakers since 2015 and signals intensifying internal competition within the ruling party eight months to the 2027 general elections.

While House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas (Kano) and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu (Abia) successfully defended their tickets, several ranking and long-serving lawmakers were defeated, exposing strong anti-incumbent sentiment and the decisive role of state governors in candidate selection.

Major casualties

One of the biggest upsets was the defeat of House Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere in Edo State’s Owan Federal Constituency. He polled 1,005 votes out of 7,587 cast, finishing third behind Andrew Ijegbia, who scored 3,695 votes. Abdul Oroh placed second with 1,740 votes.

In Delta State, veteran lawmaker Nicholas Mutu, who has represented Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency since 1999, lost his re-election bid. Ngozi Okolie also lost the Aniocha/Oshimili ticket to former House Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu.

Cross River State recorded one of the highest casualty rates, with five of eight incumbents failing to secure re-nomination.

They include three-term member Mike Etaba (Obubra/Etung), Godwin Offiono (Ogoja/Yala), Emil Inyang (Akamkpa/Biase), and Bassey Akiba (Odukpani/Calabar Municipality).

Only Peter Akpanke, Joseph Bassey, and Victor Abang won return tickets.

In Plateau State, conflicting results in Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency triggered early confusion. One returning officer declared challenger John Tongshinen winner with 29,968 votes against incumbent Yusuf Gagdi’s 5,849.

The APC Plateau State primaries committee, chaired by Stella Okotete, later dismissed that declaration as unauthorised and affirmed Mr Gagdi as the authentic winner with 29,207 votes.

At a press briefing, Mrs Okotete stated that Nandom Kura was the recognised returning officer. “The returning officer approved by my committee that has gone to do fake declaration is null and void,” she said.

Other significant losses occurred in Ogun State (at least five incumbents, including Deputy Chief Whip Ibrahim Isiaka and Tunji Akinosi) and Ekiti State (three sitting members).

Politics

PDP to screen Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday as its sole Presidential aspirant For 2027 race

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has scheduled to screen former president Goodluck Jonathan tomorrow, Tuesday, aMay 19, as the lone presidential candidate of party.

According to a statement from the PDP faction backed by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, former governor of Plateau State, Jona Jang and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tom Ikimi have been listed among a committee of 14 members to screen Jonathan described as a lone candidate by the party.

Other members of the committee were Chief Olabode George, Babangida Aliyu, Maryam ciroma, Zainab Maina, Josephine Anenin, Dr. Abdul Bulama, Dr. Esther Uduehi, Edo State PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, Dr. Sunday Solarium and Chief Anicho Okoro, who would serve as administrative secretary of the committee.

Last week, the national Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, disclosed that former president Jonathan has successfully registered as a member of the party in the fresh digital registration exercise directed by INEC.

The PDP faction also announced that it was set to screen 748 house of representatives aspirants, 198 senatorial aspirants, and 112 governorship aspirants.

The screening committee would screen 2122 states houses of assembly aspirants. The exercise will commence tomorrow, Tuesday in different states.

According to the statement, the screening exercise would take place nationwide on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

The statement said the Interim National Working Committee (iNWC) has also released the names of members to serve on the Screening Committees and Screening Appeal Panels.

It added that the publication of the screening details “is in accordance with the party’s guidelines and timetable for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.”

Politics

Oshiomhole wins Edo APC senatorial primaries unopposed

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

A former governor and incumbent Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, along with his counterpart Senator Joe Ikpea, sailed through the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary in Edo unopposed, and securing their tickets without a single vote cast against them.

Also Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama emerged the winner in the APC primary for the Edo South senatorial district.

Ogbeide-Ihama won in the seven local government areas of Edo South in the results announced by the Chairman of APC National Assembly Primary Election, Muhammed Ajana at the Urokpota Hall, Benin.

He polled 27,154 votes while his opponents, Senator Neda Imasuen, got 13,580, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu got 6785.

The elections were hitch-free in Edo North and Edo Central, where there was no contest against the incumbents, Senators Oshiomhole of Edo North and Ikpea of Edo Central, respectively.

Ajana at the Urokpota Hall said the collation arose from votes cast in the seven local government areas made up of 77 wards where elections were conducted by members of the committee.

He said, “There are seven local governments that make up the Edo South Senatorial District. We have heard from the Returning officers from the seven local government areas. From the collation, the cumulative result we have for Edo South Senatorial District is this; Ogbeide-Ihama with 27,154 votes, Imasuen with 13,580 votes and Ize-Iyamu with 6, 785.

“This is the total reflection of what has transpired from the ward level to the local government and the Edo South senatorial district collation centre. With this we await further directives from the National Secretariat, we have done our best by collating the results which is our mandate, to collate the results and send them to the National Secretariat.”

However, it was gathered that Ize-Iyamu emerged as the APC candidate for Edo South Senatorial race. He claimed to have clinched the party’s ticket after defeating Ogbeide-Ihama and Imasuen.

It was claimed that the Chief Returning Officer, Abubakar Muhammad Kabiru, officially declared Ize-Iyamu the winner after securing the highest number of votes cast.

On his part, the senator representing the district condemned the exercise describing it as a sham allegedly designed to favour a preferred aspirant.

Imasuen spoke while reacting to events at his polling unit in Umagbae North Ward 5, Urhokuosa where he said he was denied the opportunity to vote following what he described as a chaotic and manipulated process.

The lawmaker accused leaders of the party of openly adopting a preferred candidate ahead of the exercise and intimidating members into supporting that aspirant.

He said, “There is nothing satisfactory about this sham of election they did today and it is very unfortunate because as a loyal party member, I expected something better than this.”

He said the warning signs emerged days before the primary when some ward chairmen allegedly informed him that they had been directed not to receive him during consultations.

Imasuen claimed that some ward leaders openly told him the party had already adopted a preferred aspirant, identified as Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, making further consultations unnecessary.