Overview

• The CDU/CSU has proposed abolishing the Information Freedom Act (IFG) during coalition negotiations with the SPD, citing bureaucratic burdens as justification.
• The IFG, in place since 2006, has been a cornerstone of government transparency, enabling journalists and activists to expose misconduct and hold officials accountable.
• Philipp Amthor, a CDU lawmaker previously implicated in a scandal revealed through the IFG, is leading the working group advocating for its removal.
• The SPD has not yet agreed to the proposal, while opposition parties, journalists, and civil society groups have criticized it as a threat to democracy and accountability.
• The Green Party and transparency advocates are calling for an expansion of the IFG, emphasizing its importance in fostering public trust and modernizing governance.