G-7 to cooperate against malign interference in elections

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L), US President Donald Trump (C), and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) participate in a working session of the G7 Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, June 8, 2018.

The Group of Seven leaders are to agree on Friday to share information between themselves and work with internet service providers and social media companies to thwart foreign meddling in elections in their countries, a draft summit commitment said.

The draft, seen by Reuters, also says the G-7 — the United States, Canada, Japan, Britain, Italy, Germany and France — agreed to ensure high transparency of funding for political parties and all political advertising, especially during election campaigns.

The draft appeared to be a thinly veiled reference to allegations by the United States and the governments of some European Union countries that Russia interfered in their elections. Moscow has denied the allegations.

“Foreign actors seek to undermine our democratic societies and institutions, our electoral processes, our sovereignty and our security,” the G-7 leaders said in the draft.