State Election Director: Berlin is well prepared for election

State Election Director Stephan Bröchler (file photo)

Berlin's State Election Director, Stephan Bröchler, believes the capital is well prepared for the House of Representatives election on September 20.

"We're on track," he said on RBB Inforadio. He said he was optimistic, noting that more than 95 percent of election workers had signed up. According to Bröchler, backup staff might still be needed in just a few districts. Many election workers had already prepared themselves using the new online training program. "We're entering the critical phase," he said, adding that the next issue to address would be the ballots.

Concerns about Russian disinformation campaigns

According to the state election director, Russian attacks on the election - such as disinformation campaigns - will be a major issue. In such cases, the authorities would need to respond publicly and quickly to "stay ahead of the wave," Bröchler said. This will also be done with the help of platforms like TikTok and Instagram, with which he is in contact. In the coming days, there will also be further information about the AI application Gretchen, which is designed to help citizens recognize disinformation during elections.

Election posters from Sunday at noon

Starting at noon on Sunday, political parties will be allowed to hang their campaign posters on lampposts. Previously, the deadline was midnight, but the House of Representatives amended Berlin's Street Code accordingly to make it easier for campaign volunteers to put up the posters. According to Bröchler, the district public order offices plan to strictly enforce compliance with the deadline.