Criticism of Palantir: Greens demand information about the police contract!

Criticism of Palantir: Greens demand information about the police contract!

Siegen, Deutschland - The dispute over the Baden-Württemberg police contract with the US company Palantir increases in intensity. On July 8, 2025, Tagesschau Request a clear clarification. Domestic politician Oliver Hildenbrand criticizes the contract as hastily and accuses the state government of acting without adequate voting. He also expresses his displeasure with regard to a lack of unity on the software, which has been selected for Vera, a cross-procedural research and analysis platform.

The contract based on a framework agreement that Bavaria has concluded with Palantir ensures controversies primarily because of the person of Peter Thiel, one of Donald Trump's founders and well -known supporters. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) emphasizes that he is not aware of any case in which data from Baden-Württemberg will flow into the USA. Nevertheless, the skepticism remains great.

criticism and success of the software

The Palantir software that is in use in various federal states is intended to help the police effectively link existing data. For example, last week in Siegen, a man who had threatened with an amo kit by email could be determined. The police had no success with a conventional search, but with the help of the software, the sender's email address could be quickly localized. This shows how the software specifically contributes to the clarification of crimes, what WDR also documented.

Another success of the Palantir technology is shown in the identification of a suspected perpetrator in the case of sexual abuse. Despite that only a nickname and a wrong phone number were available, the software was able to establish a link from existing data and thus clarify the case.

cost question and future perspectives

However, there are also critical voices about the costs of the software that were discussed in the interior committee of the state parliament. The expenditure has now increased from originally estimated 14 million euros to 39 million euros. Interior Minister Herbert Reul admits that the initial estimate was inaccurate and that the exact costs were not known in time.

The Greens advocate the development of European software, while the Ministry of the Interior refers to the currently missing alternatives. The state representative for data protection is involved in the establishment of Vera and emphasizes the importance of digital sovereignty.

It remains questionable whether a change in the software will be possible for data protection reasons. The Greens continue to demand transparency and an extensive discussion about future software solutions, while the Ministry of the Interior promises to switch to alternative programs in certain cases.