Parties agree on fairness agreement for Bundestag elections
Published: Sunday, Dec 22nd 2024, 17:50
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Almost all parties represented in the German Bundestag have agreed on a fairness agreement for the Bundestag elections. It was concluded on Sunday by the SPD, CDU, CSU, Greens, FDP and Left Party.
In the "Agreement on a fair parliamentary election campaign", the parties promise in particular to refrain from personal disparagement, to oppose extremist statements and not to spread any deliberately false factual claims.
The right-wing populist AfD was not involved and the left-wing populist Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) refused to sign.
In order for citizens to be able to make their choice, "an election campaign is needed that remains true to the basic principles of fairness despite all the necessary clarity, controversy and also harshness", the agreement states. It refers to attempts "to damage the integrity of the public debate in the election campaign from within and from outside in a targeted manner and by illegitimate means". The parties involved have declared war on this influence.
"We are firmly opposed to all forms of extremism, anti-Semitism, racism and anti-democratic movements," it continues. "There will be no cooperation whatsoever with the AfD or with parties that do not stand on the foundations of the free democratic order."
In view of attacks on party members at election campaign stands or when putting up election posters, "all violence" is condemned. Posters of political rivals should also not be destroyed or damaged.
The parties also promise a fair election campaign on the internet and social networks. Content generated by artificial intelligence should be clearly labeled as "AI-generated content". So-called deepfake technologies, which can create deceptively real images, videos or sound recordings, for example, would not be used "to put statements into the mouths of political competitors".
©Keystone/SDA
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