Last year Microsoft was blamed for a weakness that enabled Russia to attack Germany, including systems for a centrist political party.

In that case, the government blamed a Russian military intelligence unit for orchestrating the hack and summoned a high-ranking Russian diplomat to the Foreign Ministry in Berlin. That hack also targeted German companies in areas like logistics, defense, aerospace and IT services sectors. The SPD later said that a security vulnerability, not identified at the time, in Microsoft software had enabled the hack.

A few days ago, as European elections are coming, another centrist German political party was hacked.

The incident comes almost exactly one week ahead of the European Parliament elections, with polling day in Germany on June 9 as it is in the majority of EU member states.

“The BfV will issue a warning to all [political] parties in the German Bundestag [parliament] regarding the current attack,” the Interior Ministry said. “Our security agencies have intensified all protective measures against digital and hybrid threats and are informing people about the dangers.”

Clearly being in the center, a moderate, means targeting by those who want to force extremism. Hard to hold the middle when Russia is constantly looking for means to help extremist parties.