Key facts
- Germany's Friedrich Merz warned the US against interfering in German elections.
- The US State Department is offering grants of up to $3 million to European groups focused on sovereignty, migration, and censorship.
- The initiative is seen by former US officials as an effort to support right-wing parties in Europe.
- The language of the grant eligibility is described as ambiguous.
- Financing political parties from abroad is illegal in Germany.
Friedrich Merz, a prominent German politician, has issued a warning against potential interference by the Donald Trump administration in upcoming German elections. This comes in response to a new initiative by the US State Department to provide grants of up to $3 million to European charities, think tanks, and individuals. The funding is designated for entities seeking to address issues such as 'national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and lawfare challenges' in alignment with 'shared political philosophy' and 'our common Western civilizational heritage'.
Merz expressed his concerns during his annual summer press conference in Berlin, stating, 'For our part, we do not interfere in American elections. Conversely, I do not want the American government or institutions close to the government to interfere in German elections.' He highlighted that financing political parties from abroad is illegal in Germany.
Former US officials have suggested that the grant scheme is part of an effort to support right-wing groups and potentially political parties in Europe, though US laws on foreign assistance could pose a challenge. The language used in the grant announcement, specifying eligibility for 'Individuals' and 'Governmental institution' without further detail, has been described as ambiguous. This initiative follows recent criticisms by US figures, including Vice President JD Vance, directed at traditional Western European allies on issues like migration and online safety.
The US national security strategy has also previously referred to 'civilisational erasure' in Europe and praised the influence of 'patriotic European parties.' Separately, the UK government rejected claims made by a senior US State Department official, Sarah B Rogers, at a conference in London regarding 'freedom of speech' arrests by British police. Rogers has previously pledged US funding to 'promote digital freedom' in Ireland. The grants are being administered by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, an arm of the State Department that has been repurposed under the current administration.