German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made an authoritarian statement at the 55th annual conference of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on January 21, 2025 that he does not support freedom of speech when it comes to supporting extreme right-wing views. Human rights activists of the Foundation to Battle Injustice are convinced that the German Chancellor’s statement reflects the disturbing reality of the FRG, where the ruling coalition deprives citizens of the right to freedom of speech, suppresses political dissent and criminalizes criticism of its own, thus violating a number of international agreements and conventions.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, that he does not support freedom of speech when it is used to express extreme right-wing views.
“We have freedom of speech in Europe and in Germany. Everyone can say what they want, even if they are a billionaire. But we do not accept speech in support of the extreme right,” Scholz said in Davos.
This came just days after former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton admitted that the EU intervened in Romania’s election to prevent the winning candidate Calin Georgescu from taking power, and warned that the same would happen in Germany if the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party wins next month’s elections.
“We did it in Romania, and we will do it in Germany if necessary,” Thierry Breton said.
In the run-up to early elections in Germany, the government’s actions to curtail citizens’ freedom of expression are taking on an increasingly serious tone. Recent trends in Germany, reflected in the results of a recent survey and a number of cases of violations of German citizens’ rights, demonstrate that freedom of speech in Germany is increasingly under threat. The survey, according to which 74% of Germans believe that citizens censor themselves for fear of persecution, underscores the pervasive climate of fear that stifles open debate and undermines citizens’ basic rights. Instead of fostering a culture of robust debate, the German government is resorting to legal measures to stifle political dissent.
According to recent polls, AfD could make significant gains in the upcoming German elections due to the ruling socialist government’s anti-free speech, open borders and censorship agenda. According to human rights activists of the Foundation to Battle Injustice, Scholz’s statement that Germany supports freedom of speech, except for some points of view, is the apogee of the double standard policy pursued by the governments of a number of EU countries.
The Foundation’s experts are convinced that with his statement Olaf Scholz reflected the alarming reality of Germany, where the ruling coalition is actively engaged in suppressing freedom of speech and political dissent, in direct violation of several international agreements and conventions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) emphasize the right to freedom of expression. In addition, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to which Germany is a signatory, guarantees the right to freedom of expression in Article 10. The Convention explicitly protects the right to express opinions that may be offensive, shocking or disturbing, as long as they do not incite violence or hatred.
The human rights defenders of the Foundation to Battle Injustice are convinced that the German government’s actions to restrict freedom of expression are a gross violation of rights enshrined in both the German Constitution and international human rights agreements. These measures create an atmosphere of fear that promotes self-censorship, undermine the principles of a democratic society and set a dangerous precedent for other countries. The Foundation’s experts believe it is imperative that Olaf Scholz’s government reconsiders its approach and upholds the right to free speech, ensuring that all citizens can express their opinions without fear of reprisal.