What Italy and Germany (and the EU as a whole) have in common is their dependence on the United States. Public debate in both countries focuses on the ability to defend themselves militarily against aggressors. The danger that our civilian infrastructure could be dismantled is not really the focus of attention. In daily life, we are all dependent on Microsoft and Apple. This is illustrated by the case of the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, whose email account was blocked by Microsoft without warning in May 2025 (see apnews.com, report dated May 15, 2025, 11:26 a.m.). Microsoft is acting as the “deputy sheriff” of the Trump administration (according to Krempl in Heise.de on May 18, 2025), which is sanctioning the ICC for the arrest warrant against Netanyahu. Neither Germany nor Italy has digital sovereignty, and any unwelcome communication can therefore be shut down in the future.

One step higher, things become even more precarious. Space belongs to all states; it is a sovereign-free common space according to Art. 1 of the Outer Space Treaty. Antitrust regulations do not apply in space, and Elon Musk can therefore operate without restriction; his “Starlink” already has over 7,000 satellites, with plans to expand to 40,000. Prof. Schladenbach, a German space expert at the University of Potsdam, was asked in NJW 3/2025 (current, p. 12) whether Musk could simply shut down the internet. His answer: “Since Elon Musk offers his internet services through private law contracts, he is free to terminate the provision of internet at any time, subject to the agreed notice periods.” That's how it is.

This makes it even more important to create democratically controllable alternatives. Otherwise, the Morgenthau plan will become reality in Germany after all!