Germany grants spy agencies offensive powers in historic security overhaul

Key points

• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced the cabinet approval of a major intelligence overhaul, describing it as a 'new era' for German secret services.
• The legislation grants the BND and BfV powers to conduct non-lethal sabotage, hack foreign servers, and block payments to low-level foreign agents.
• Data collection and retention periods will be extended, with new permissions for AI to scan vast datasets and conduct online surveillance.
• Lethal operations and assassinations remain strictly prohibited, maintaining a distinction from agencies like the CIA or Mossad.
• The reforms are framed as a response to a 'hybrid conflict' involving espionage and disinformation, particularly from Russia.

Background

This development follows a period of heightened security concerns in Germany, including a deadly car ramming at a Berlin Pride parade in July and the discovery of an explosive drone at Leipzig airport in August. These incidents, alongside a previous cabinet approval in August 2026, have accelerated the push to modernize intelligence capabilities. The changes also align with broader efforts to reduce reliance on US intelligence sharing and strengthen European security autonomy.

How outlets are covering it

Euronews and The Guardian both highlight the government’s argument that Germany has lagged behind allies due to restrictive postwar laws. However, they differ in emphasis: Euronews focuses on the threat from 'foreign powers' and the 'hybrid conflict' with Russia, while The Guardian emphasizes the 'security revolution' and the political pressure on Merz’s coalition to modernize. Both sources note significant opposition; Euronews cites Left Party and FDP members warning of a 'new secret police' and potential Constitutional Court intervention, whereas The Guardian highlights data protection commissioner Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider’s criticism of stripped oversight powers and Green MP Konstantin von Notz’s concern that the BfV’s expanded powers violate the separation between intelligence and police functions.

Why it matters

The reform marks a fundamental shift in German security policy, moving from a passive to an active posture. It could significantly alter Germany’s role in European security and its ability to counter hybrid threats, but it also raises serious questions about civil liberties and the balance of power in a country with a complex history regarding state surveillance.

What to watch

The 700-page legislative package must now pass through the Bundestag. If approved, the new powers are expected to take effect by January 2027. Critics may challenge the law in court, particularly regarding data protection and surveillance powers.