BERLIN — Germany's parliament approved sweeping legislation expanding the powers of the country's foreign and domestic intelligence services to conduct offensive operations against terrorism, sabotage, and espionage.
The Bundestag voted 309 to 190, with 71 abstaining, to grant the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) broader authority. The measure marks a significant shift from Germany's historical intelligence focus, which centered on information gathering rather than direct action.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt championed the bill, saying Germany faces rising threats from foreign powers and operates as a "theatre of operations for terrorism, extremism and foreign powers" and a "target of hybrid threats."
Under the new law, the BND, responsible for foreign intelligence, will conduct covert operations internationally including sabotage—paralyzing servers of state-sponsored hacker groups, disrupting disinformation networks, and interfering with weapons supply chains.
The BfV, Germany's domestic intelligence service, gains expanded authority beyond information collection. It can now take protective measures against property and IT systems when threats are identified, including disarming explosives, blocking data flows during cyber-attacks, and deleting or falsifying malicious data. BfV agents will also gain wider digital surveillance capabilities, including monitoring encrypted communications, conducting online searches, and using AI-supported data analysis and biometric image matching. Covert home entry is permitted under specific, pre-authorized conditions.
German authorities cited an increase in foreign espionage, particularly from Russia, China, and Iran. In August, German authorities found an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig Airport they attribute to Russia, positioned near Ukrainian cargo planes. The device failed to detonate due to a faulty detonator. Authorities have also linked recent power grid attacks and the arrest of a suspected Russian spy to foreign actors.
Opposition politicians criticized the legislation. Clara Bünger, security spokeswoman for the Left Party, said Minister Dobrindt was establishing a "new German secret police." Dobrindt dismissed the criticism as "madness."
