File photo of Elon Musk (left) and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (right)
The EU’s Digital Services Act is now being put to the test. A German court has ruled that X cannot refuse to hand over data for an investigation into Hungarian election-related risks, Világgazdaság reported. Fears are that these are signs of preparations for discrediting April’s parliamentary elections should the results favor Viktor Orbán, just like in the case of the elections in Romania in December 2024.
On Tuesday, a Berlin court ordered Elon Musk’s X to hand over data related to the upcoming Hungarian parliamentary elections. The decision came after a lawsuit filed by the left-wing legal advocacy organization Democracy Reporting International (DRI).
The organization went to court because X rejected its data request in November 2025.
The researchers’ goal is to examine how the platform handles “election influence campaigns” and “disinformation risks.”
At the heart of the case is the European Union’s digital regulation, the Digital Services Act, which requires large online platforms to provide external researchers with access to certain data. The aim of the regulation is to verify how platforms handle systemic risks, such as election interference.
The pressure from Berlin follows an earlier move in Brussels, when the European Commission imposed a €40 million fine on X in December 2025 as part of a total €120 million penalty package for allegedly violating its data reporting obligations.
With the April elections approaching, it is becoming increasingly clear that the vote will also be a serious political test for the West. The campaign has thus taken on a significant international dimension.
The election is also a sensitive issue for Brussels, as the current Hungarian government has not yielded on issues such as Ukraine’s EU membership and military support, the complete separation of the Russian and European economies, or the destruction of the continent’s agriculture through agreements such as Mercosur.
The current decision is also noteworthy because last year, DRI lost a similar lawsuit in a Berlin court over data related to the German elections.
The recent ruling could set a precedent for European organizations and social media platforms operating on the continent, and could embolden Brussels to crack down on voices that oppose it.
Given that EU leaders are constantly working to ban platforms that support free speech, this could have disastrous consequences for freedom of expression within the bloc.
Fact
Democracy Reporting International (DRI) is a Berlin-based organization. It describes itself as impartial, however, DRI’s funding comes from a mix of EU, pro-EU and left-leaning donors, with major categories including grants, public funding, EU funding, and other contributions. Key reported funders and contributions include:
- EU programs: Horizon Europe, CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values), and NDICI (Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument), totaling around €3.9 million in major grants.
- Stiftung Mercator (a left-wing German private foundation): €575,539.
- Porticus Foundation: €170,000.
- The now defunct controversial USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development): $25,585.
DRI also receives support from entities like the German Federal Foreign Office, the Dutch Foreign Ministry, and pooled funds such as Civitates (which partners with foundations including Open Society Foundations, Luminate/Omidyar Network, Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Oak Foundation).
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Via Világgazdaság; Featured photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán
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