Member states call on Brussels to use its digital power to curb foreign interference in elections

France, Germany and ten other European countries have urged the European Commission to use all available tools under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to “protect” EU elections from foreign interference.

In a letter signed by the European Affairs ministers of 12 states—France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain—they call for the creation of a dedicated EU body to combat information manipulation and the influence of external actors.

“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,” warns the letter, seen by Reuters. The ministers argue that “recent incidents” make a coordinated and urgent response necessary to safeguard EU elections.

Although no specific country is mentioned, it is likely that the concerns are directed at Russia, China, and even the United States, because of Elon Musk’s explicit support for parties and positions that much of the European establishment labels as “far-right.”

The issue has reached the highest levels of power. Last week, from January 20 to January 23, at the Davos Forum, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that freedom of speech applies to everything — except “far-right” ideas.

Berlin, which will hold snap elections on February 23, has set up a task force to counter potential destabilization attempts following warnings about Russian-sponsored espionage and sabotage.

But interference is not a one-way street. In a recent interview with a French channel on January 9, former EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton openly admitted that the European Commission intervened in Romania’s elections, and that they would do the same in Germany if necessary.

While the commission denounces digital manipulation, it has not hesitated to take action itself. In December, it launched an investigation against TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, over alleged interference in Romania’s presidential elections in November.

However, the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has since released a report concluding that there is no a clear evidence of foreign interference in those elections—though the elections were cancelled on that basis. Shortly afterward, parliamentary elections took place in Romania, where the socialists secured victory without any allegations of manipulation.

Meanwhile, in Poland, which is set to hold elections in May, authorities have warned of alleged Russian attempts to recruit citizens to influence the vote.

The signatory countries urge the Commission to enforce the DSA without hesitation. The law requires platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok to moderate content deemed harmful, such as hate speech or disinformation.

Karol Nawrocki, the Conservatives (PiS) candidate in May’s Polish presidential election, has taken a shock lead in the polls and is projected to defeat Donald Tusk’s proxy, Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski. https://t.co/OKx8E6RKVU

— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) January 27, 2025