Irish Examiner view: Another threat to democracy emerges

German plot underlines fragility of democracy and importance of addressing threats before they metastasise into menaces

German police lead 'Heinrich XIII' to a police vehicle during a raid in Frankfurt. Picture: Boris Roessler/dpa

At first glance, the news coming out of Germany seems faintly comic. A potential far-right coup was foiled this week by the German security services, but when it emerged that one of the plotters was the improbably-named Prince Heinrich XIII of Reuss the news acquired a faint whiff of comic opera, particularly as more details emerged about the obscure House of Reuss (all of whose male members are traditionally named Heinrich).

Closer examination reveals a far more sinister backdrop to these events. The plotters are believed to have sought to make contact with Russian officials to help with their plans, for instance.

Though the German authorities have been careful to stress that they have no evidence of direct Russian support, it is not surprising that the plotters would seek the support of Russia, given that country’s interest in destabilising Western democracies. 

Russian involvement in the US elections of 2020, for instance, supported the perception of Russia as a pariah state long before its invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. This week’s revelations will strengthen that perception still further.

Germany’s swift and decisive intervention to halt this coup may be reassuring, but the affair serves to underline the fragility of democracy, even in states with well-established, stable institutions, and the importance of addressing threats before they metastasise into menaces. 

For instance, though the immediate threat may have passed, it is interesting to see the German authorities already identifying online conspiracy theories as central to the development of the plot; lessons learned here may be valuable for all states.

The importance of Germany to the whole of Europe economically and politically, as the engine of EU progress, cannot be underestimated. Any threat to peace and democracy in that country has implications for the entire continent and beyond.