Not only against politicians: Bär wants to see misogyny recorded in crime statistics

Digital State Minister Dorothee Bär calls for separate reporting procedures for incitement to hatred against women - both in the Bundestag for Internet hatred against women politicians and in general in police crime statistics. “The extent of hatred and agitation has increased significantly in recent years, especially against women politicians. The hate messages are derogatory and mostly gender-related, "said the CSU politician of the Rheinische Post. "It would help us politicians to establish a cross-party reporting procedure in the Bundestag that contradicts false claims and forwards criminal content to the investigative authorities."

Attacks on the net are "sometimes also preliminary stages to physical attacks," she explained.

"That is why it is important to me to record misogyny in the crime statistics, because then we also receive more detailed information about victims, perpetrators and certain characteristics of the crime for these crimes."

Parties warn of fake news in the election campaign

The general secretaries of the CSU, SPD, FDP and the Greens also stated in the newspaper that attacks on the Internet against candidates for the Bundestag have intensified significantly.

"We expected that, but the extent is shocking," said the Federal Political Director of the Greens, Michael Kellner.

Lars Klingbeil from the SPD stated: "We are preparing for all democratic parties to be targets in the digital federal election campaign, especially those from the right."

There were also warnings against targeted destabilization campaigns, including from abroad.

"Among the general secretaries, we are also in contact with the security authorities in order to develop counter-strategies," said Markus Blume from the CSU.

The free democrat Volker Wissing emphasized that there was agreement among the democratic parties not to spread disinformation for their own benefit.

"Rather, we coordinate proactively with our competitors when disinformation campaigns arise."

Federal Returning Officer Georg Thiel and the head of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Arne Schönbohm, also want to comment on threats to the election campaign in an online press conference this Tuesday.