German politicians to get encrypted phones

German politicians to get encrypted phones: The interior ministry of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their Social Democratic Party (SPD) counterparts have, Bild newspaper said, decided on “urgent” guidelines for ministers’ and top ranking officials’ mobile phones.

The parties are currently in coalition negotiations over forming Germany’s next government.

Under the new government politicians will only make calls on encrypted phones, meaning mobiles which are not protected will become the exception instead of the norm. It means iPhones will no longer be allowed for official correspondence.

“Our conversations and communication structure have to be safer,” the government report said, following news at the end of October that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone was being tapped by US intelligence agencies, and that both the UK and US embassies in Berlin allegedly had listing posts on the roof of their buildings.