Author: Raquel Miguel, senior researcher at EU Disinfolab
Reviewers: Dr Nora Jansen, disinformation analyst and policing consultant at Jansen Consulting, and Alice Echtermann, investigative journalist at NDR and former head of fact-checking at CORRECTIV
Overview
In February 2023, we published the first edition of the Disinformation Landscape Germany. Over the past two years, the German information environment has undergone some changes—yet many of the core challenges identified at that time remain. During this period, disinformation and broader forms of information distortion—particularly Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)—have intensified. This threat, particularly emanating from Russia, has manifested not only through disinformation but also via cyberattacks, espionage, sabotage, and coordinated propaganda campaigns. At the same time, public awareness has grown, prompting stronger responses from both governmental institutions and civil society. The issue is now more widely recognised and increasingly addressed through concrete countermeasures.
This report revisits the key challenges outlined in our previous analysis and offers an updated perspective on the current landscape.
- FIMI as a Consolidated Threat. What seemed to be an emerging concern some years ago has now become a persistent threat to Germany. Germany has long been a primary target of Russian propaganda, —even prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In recent years, this trend has only intensified, with the country remaining a focal point for FIMI. Notable Russian influence operations—such as Doppelganger and Overload—have repeatedly sought to shape German public opinion, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine. These campaigns aim to erode support for Ukraine, manipulate public discourse, and sow institutional distrust while fostering political and societal divisions. Beyond the context of the war, such operations have also exploited deeply polarising issues, including migration, gender rights, economic concerns, and electoral politics. Their objective remains consistent: to deepen social fragmentation and interfere with the functioning and trust in democratic processes.
- Electoral Disinformation and Institutional Distrust. In 2024 and 2025, Germany experienced an electoral cycle marked by the rise of the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) – it was the second most voted party in all but one federal state, Thuringia, where it emerged as the leading party – and intensified disinformation efforts. A wave of disinformation and conspiracy theories circulated online, while FIMI campaigns and platforms’ algorithmic distortion were also flagged. Electoral disinformation and conspiracy theories joined other efforts to discredit institutions. The German wing of QAnon— known for promoting conspiracy theories — has remained active in the last years, while the so-called Reichsbürger movement—which denies the legitimacy of the German state and its institutions—has grown significantly in recent years and is under surveillance by the intelligence services. These developments underscore two key risks posed by disinformation: first, the erosion of the social and institutional contract that sustains democratic systems; and second, the empowerment of radical political narratives.
- The Rise of the Far-Right. It may seem contentious to frame the rise of a far-right party as a disinformation issue. However, in the case of Germany there are reasons to draw at least some connections. First, members of the AfD have played a significant role in promoting disinformation—especially on topics such as climate change, which will be discussed in detail later in this report. Second, leaked documents from the Russian influence agency Social Design Agency (SDA) – known as one of the authors of influence operations such as Doppelganger- revealed that one of Russia’s stated goals of its disinformation campaigns was to help the AfD reach at least 20% of the national vote. While this achievement cannot be solely attributed to foreign interference, it does raise concerns about the intersection of domestic political developments and foreign information manipulation. Moreover, some AfD members are accused of participating in Russian influence efforts: Investigations are being carried out, among others, against AfD politician Petr Bystron, who denies the accusations.
- In parallel, the AfD has also received public support from members of the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump, notably Vice President J.D. Vance and Elon Musk. Musk, in particular, has been accused of leveraging his platform, X (formerly Twitter), to amplify AfD messaging and bolster the visibility of its co-leader, Alice Weidel, as documented by several investigations. Meanwhile, the designation of the AfD as a “confirmed right-wing extremist initiative” at the national level by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in early May 2025 was temporarily suspended just days later by a court in Cologne. The final classification is still pending confirmation.
- Migration as a Driver of Polarisation. Migration has remained a central and polarising issue in German political discourse, playing a significant role in the rise of the far right. Amid growing tensions, mainstream parties largely converged on the need for stricter immigration policies, reflecting mounting public concern. However, the AfD escalated the debate, most notably through a highly controversial meeting in Potsdam, during which party members reportedly discussed plans for so-called “remigration”, also considering German citizens with a migration background as a possible target group, according to CORRECTIV research. Disinformation has continued to amplify anti-migrant sentiment, with widespread hoaxes falsely alleging criminal behaviour by migrants or claiming they receive disproportionate social benefits. These narratives are frequently designed to stoke fear and resentment, reinforcing the far right’s political agenda.
- Climate Disinformation on the Rise. In our first report, we identified climate disinformation as an emerging threat in Germany. In 2025, this trend has intensified, with disinformation narratives gaining traction across various sectors of society. This escalation has been influenced in part by global political shifts, notably the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, which has emboldened climate-skeptical actors internationally. In Germany, the AfD has positioned itself at the forefront of climate denialism.
- Health Disinformation. In our previous report, we identified Germany’s longstanding tradition of alternative medicine as a key factor contributing to the country’s vulnerability to health-related disinformation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the narratives developed then are still being replicated nowadays and reused in other contexts, such as the bird flu.
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This project is funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
The initial project (V1 of this factsheet) in 2022 was also Funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
This factsheet does not represent an endorsement by EU DisinfoLab of any organisation.