German Parliament Divided Over Data Retention for Crime Prevention

A heated debate in the Bundestag highlights deep divisions over proposals to store IP addresses for three months to combat serious crimes.

The CDU/CSU bloc has proposed mandatory three-month storage of IP addresses by telecom providers to aid in identifying criminal suspects.
The FDP advocates for a 'Quick-Freeze' approach, where data is only stored when linked to specific suspicions of severe crimes.
The Greens oppose blanket data retention, citing proportionality concerns and potential infringements on fundamental rights.
The SPD is internally split, with some members supporting a legally secure form of IP address retention but lacking consensus with their coalition partners.
A 2022 European Court of Justice ruling limits data retention under EU law but allows for narrowly tailored measures to combat serious crime.