Concerns have been raised regarding a funding gap for the federal IT security initiative, “Digital. Sicher. Souverän”. According to the “Frankfurter Rundschau”, this issue emerged from a reply issued by the Federal Ministry of Research GmbH to an inquiry posed by the Green faction in parliament.
The primary concern centers on the lack of a clear roadmap from the ruling coalition (comprising the CDU/CSU and SPD) for the program succeeding the current €350 million project, which is set to conclude in 2026. Originally passed by the Ampel government in 2021, the program aims to bolster Germany’s technological sovereignty and cyber defenses through innovation. However, the German government’s own statement indicated that any potential follow-up initiative might not commence until sometime in 2027, and a cabinet discussion on the matter is not scheduled until the first quarter of that year, suggesting a significant gap in continuity.
This perceived lapse in planning is particularly concerning given the rapid advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Experts are currently voicing apprehension, particularly regarding Anthropic’s AI model, “Claude Mythos” whose non-public status has led some to label it a potentially dangerous technological turning point, effectively dubbed a “hacker superweapon” in the context of IT security.
Ayse Asar, the Greens’ policy spokesperson for research in the Bundestag, issued a strong warning to the press, emphasizing that research in such critical security fields necessitates consistent support rather than falling victim to funding gaps. She asserted that any nation serious about advancing Europe’s digital sovereignty cannot afford to let its cyber security research stagnate.
