German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned that the country risks falling into political divisions reminiscent of the period of the Weimar Republic, as disinformation and support for extremist political forces increase.
Steinmeier issued the warning in a speech marking the anniversary of German reunification. He said political demagoguery and disinformation were threatening democratic debate, freedom and Germany’s national unity.
The president’s comments followed recent state elections in eastern Germany, where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the largest share of votes in Saxony-Anhalt, while the Left Party emerged as the strongest party in Berlin.
The elections have added pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s governing coalition. The Christian Democrats suffered major setbacks in the eastern state elections, while concerns over Germany’s economy and living standards have contributed to growing political dissatisfaction.
Steinmeier did not name individual parties in his speech but criticised what he described as unacceptable political demagoguery from extremist forces on both the far right and far left. He also warned that sophisticated disinformation campaigns were undermining trust in democratic institutions.
The president pointed to foreign and domestic sources of disinformation, including Kremlin-linked actors and political extremists operating inside Germany. He said the spread of misleading information online was making it harder for citizens to distinguish reliable information from political manipulation.
Steinmeier also acknowledged that a significant number of Germans have become increasingly distrustful of the political system. He said as many as one-third of voters were demonstrating through their voting choices that they were turning away from some of the republic’s fundamental principles.
Germany is also facing economic challenges, including pressure on its manufacturing sector from Chinese competition and the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Steinmeier said the country urgently needed consistent and professional government policies to address these challenges.
The president ultimately left open the question of whether Germany was moving toward a political climate resembling the Weimar era, stressing that the answer had not yet been determined. His warning comes as German political parties face increasing pressure to address voter dissatisfaction while protecting democratic institutions.