Germany’s Bundestag has passed a major reform of the country’s intelligence laws, expanding the powers of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). In a roll-call vote on Nov. 13, 309 lawmakers voted in favour, 190 against and 71 abstained.
The reform is intended to strengthen technical and operational capabilities against cyberattacks, espionage, sabotage and hybrid threats. Under narrowly defined conditions, the BND will be able to take active measures against foreign threat actors’ IT infrastructure, including disabling servers used by state-backed hacking groups.
The legislation also creates a legal basis for AI-assisted analysis and biometric matching of image data. In specified circumstances, the two agencies may require telecommunications providers to preserve traffic data temporarily if it is expected to be needed for later analysis.
Oversight will be consolidated under the Independent Control Council, which will handle prior legal review of certain operational measures and data-protection oversight. Reporting and information duties to parliament’s intelligence oversight body will also be expanded.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt defended the reform as a response to growing cyber and hybrid threats. Opposition parties raised concerns about fundamental rights, biometric surveillance and the boundary between intelligence agencies and the police.
Before the vote, 28 civil-liberties and legal organisations had urged lawmakers to reject the bill, warning of risks to privacy and constitutional rights. The vote is likely to intensify debate over national security powers and digital privacy in Germany.
