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X Wins Motion to Remove Judge in German Court Battle
Legal Dispute Over Election Data Access
A German court has granted a motion by social media company X to remove a judge overseeing its legal battle with two activist groups seeking real-time election data access.
Earlier, a Berlin regional court ruled in favor of Democracy Reporting International and the Society for Civil Rights, requiring X to provide real-time access to data concerning the February 23 German election. The groups aimed to track misinformation and disinformation ahead of the vote.
Challenge to Judicial Impartiality
X filed an appeal against the ruling and requested the removal of a judge, citing concerns over the judge’s engagement with social media content from the plaintiffs. The court approved the motion to remove the judge but dismissed similar motions against two other judges. U.S. law firm White & Case, representing X, declined to comment.
Broader Political Tensions
The legal battle occurs amid escalating tensions between X’s owner, Elon Musk, and Germany’s political leadership. Musk has publicly criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz and expressed support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The activist groups argued that X is legally required to provide structured and searchable access to data, including post reach, shares, and likes. While this information is theoretically accessible, manually compiling it from thousands of posts is impractical.
Privacy and Freedom of Expression Concerns
Separately, X announced plans to sue the German government in state and federal courts, challenging what it views as excessive legal demands for user data. X’s global government affairs division stated that Germany submits the most requests for user data within the European Union.
A spokesperson from Germany’s digital affairs ministry acknowledged X’s public statements but confirmed that no lawsuits had been filed yet.
Upcoming Hearing and Potential Impact
A court hearing on the preliminary injunction is scheduled for February 27 at 09:30 GMT, with two remaining judges presiding. A decision is expected later the same day. While the timing means the activist groups will not obtain the data in their critical window, the ruling could set a precedent for future cases.
Broader Implications for Governance
Separately, Elon Musk and officials from the newly established U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are reportedly working on a plan to significantly reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy at the request of President Donald Trump.
“X Wins Motion to Remove Judge in German Court Battle” “X Wins Motion to Remove Judge in German Court Battle” “X Wins Motion to Remove Judge in German Court Battle”