Despite mounting criticism, the federal government remains committed to overhauling the Freedom of Information Act (Informationfreiheitsgesetz or IFG). A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice told the dts Nachrichtenagentur on Friday that the government is still working internally to implement the relevant coalition agreement. The aim is to reform the IFG, which has been in place for over 20 years, by adding new value for citizens. However, the spokesperson stated he could not provide a timeline, adding that internal government consultations are currently underway regarding the matter. The coalition of the Union and the SPD decided in July to modify the IFG. This decision subsequently faced heavy backlash from various groups, including journalism associations and the Federal Commissioner for Information Freedom. The core of the opposition centers on changes that would restrict the scope of the law: moving to allow applications only from private individuals, and requiring them-unlike past practice-to demonstrate a “legitimate interest.” In recent weeks, discussions about this proposal have become less frequent.
Politics
