Germany's parliament has approved a major overhaul of intelligence laws, granting foreign and domestic spy agencies new powers to conduct covert operations, sabotage and digital surveillance in response to what the government says are increasing threats from foreign powers.
The Bundestag voted 309 to 190 with 71 abstentions to pass the legislation championed by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who called it a 'reform of the century' necessary because of increasing threats from foreign powers.
Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND, will be able to carry out covert operations abroad, including paralysing servers of state-sponsored hacker groups, disrupting disinformation networks, and disrupting supply chains for weapons. Its domestic counterpart, the BfV (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution), may now take protective action against property and IT systems if specific threats are identified: dismantling or breaking explosives, diverting data flows during cyber-attacks, deleting or falsifying data stored for malicious purposes, and planting false information. Under certain conditions, BfV agents can also enter homes covertly, subject to prior authorisation.
Dobrindt said Germany is 'a theatre of operations for terrorism, extremism and foreign powers'. In August, a drone carrying an explosive device was found at Leipzig Airport near Ukrainian cargo planes; German authorities say Russia was behind the attack.
The law was bitterly criticised by some opposition politicians. Security spokeswoman Clara Bünger told public broadcaster ARD it was 'a monster… summoning ghosts that we will probably never be able to get rid of' and said the separation between the police and secret service was 'being eroded', a lesson learned from the Nazi era. Dobrindt has said it is 'madness' to think the law means Germany is creating a new secret police.
However, Sonja Eichwede of the centre-left SPD, part of the governing coalition, said the reforms would make a significant contribution to ensuring the country's democracy was "robust and resilient".
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Germany's intelligence reforms mark a significant departure from its post-war restrictions on executive powers for spy agencies, reflecting a broader European shift toward more assertive security measures.
- The new law could set precedents for how democracies balance civil liberties and security in the face of hybrid threats such as disinformation, cyberattacks and sabotage.
- Authorising the BND to conduct sabotage abroad may raise diplomatic tensions, particularly with Russia, China and Iran, which the government identifies as primary sources of espionage and hybrid activity.
Background
After World War II and the Nazi era, Germany imposed strict limits on its intelligence agencies, confining them largely to information gathering and analysis. The new law breaks with that tradition by granting executive and operational powers, including covert action overseas and digital intervention, to both foreign and domestic services. The government has justified the reform by pointing to an increase in hybrid attacks, including the August 2026 drone incident at Leipzig Airport, which authorities attributed to Russia.
Key Perspectives
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt: said the reform is necessary because Germany is the "target of hybrid threats" and described it as a "reform of the century."
Left Party security spokeswoman Clara Bünger: said the law is "a monster" that erodes the separation between police and secret service, a lesson from the Nazi era.
SPD MP Sonja Eichwede: said the reforms will make Germany's democracy "robust and resilient."
What to Watch
- How the new operational powers are implemented, particularly any covert BND operations abroad; the first such actions will face close scrutiny for legality and effectiveness.
- Potential constitutional challenges in Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, given concerns over privacy, surveillance and the erosion of civil liberties.
- Reactions from Russia, China and Iran, which the government names as primary threat sources; possible retaliatory measures or escalation in hybrid tactics.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe summary presents the phrase “new secret police” as the Left Party’s quoted warning.BBC News: “But the Left Party's security spokeswoman, Clara Bünger, said Dobrindt was creating a new German secret police.”
- SupportedParliament approved a major overhaul giving foreign and domestic intelligence services new powers in response to threats from foreign powers.BBC News: “Germany's foreign and domestic intelligence services are to be given greater powers to combat espionage, terrorism and sabotage after the country's parliament, the Bundestag, approved a major overhaul of its legislation. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who championed the bill, has called it a "reform of the century", necessary because of the increasing threats from foreign powers.”
- SupportedThe Bundestag passed the legislation by 309 votes to 190, with 71 abstentions.BBC News: “In the Bundestag, 309 MPs voted in favour of the new law on intelligence services, while 190 voted against and 71 abstained.”
- Partly supportedThe BND will be able to conduct covert operations abroad, including paralysing hacker-group servers and disrupting disinformation networks and weapons supply chains.BBC News: “In future, German spies working for the BND, which is responsible for foreign intelligence, will be able to conduct covert operations abroad, including sabotage. This could include paralysing the servers of state-sponsored hacker groups, disrupting disinformation networks, or even disrupting supply chains for weapons.”
- Partly supportedThe BfV may take protective action against property and IT systems, including planting false information.BBC News: “For the first time they will be able to take protective action against property and IT systems, if specific threats are identified. That means they will be allowed to dismantle or break explosives or weapons, divert or block data flows during cyber-attacks, delete or falsify data stored for malicious purposes, and plant false information on those involved.”
- SupportedUnder certain conditions, BfV agents may enter homes covertly with prior authorisation.BBC News: “Under certain conditions, BfV agents will also be permitted to enter homes covertly. However, the measure must always be authorised in advance.”
- SupportedDobrindt called the bill a “reform of the century” and said it was necessary because of increasing threats from foreign powers.BBC News: “Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who championed the bill, has called it a "reform of the century", necessary because of the increasing threats from foreign powers.”
- SupportedDobrindt said Germany is “a theatre of operations for terrorism, extremism and foreign powers”.BBC News: “"We are the target of hybrid threats," said Dobrindt. "Germany is a theatre of operations for terrorism, extremism and foreign powers."”
- SupportedIn August, a drone carrying an explosive device was found at Leipzig Airport, and German authorities said Russia was behind the attack.BBC News: “In August, a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig Airport, close to Ukrainian cargo planes. However, it failed to explode as the bomb's detonator was apparently faulty. German authorities say Russia was behind the attack.”
- SupportedClara Bünger told ARD the law was “a monster… summoning ghosts that we will probably never be able to get rid of”.BBC News: “And Clara Bünger from the Left Party told public broadcaster ARD that the new law was "a monster… summoning ghosts that we will probably never be able to get rid of".”
- SupportedBünger said the separation between police and the secret service was “being eroded”, a lesson learned from the Nazi era.BBC News: “The separation between the police and the secret service, she warned, was "being eroded" - and Bünger said that had been a lesson learned from the Nazi era.”
- SupportedDobrindt said it was “madness” to think the law meant Germany was creating a new secret police.BBC News: “even though Dobrindt has said it is "madness" to think it means that Germany is creating a new secret police.”