German lawmakers vote to expand spy agency powers for covert operations

Germany's parliament approved a major overhaul of intelligence agencies, granting the BND new powers for covert sabotage and cyberattacks abroad, and expanding the domestic BfV's role. Interior Minister Dobrindt cited threats from terrorism and foreign powers, while critics warned of privacy erosion.

Germany's parliament on Friday approved a major overhaul of intelligence agencies, granting the BND foreign spy agency new powers to conduct covert sabotage and cyberattacks abroad, and expanding the domestic BfV agency's role. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who helped craft the reforms, told lawmakers that Germany serves as an operational theater for terrorism, extremism and foreign powers. The reforms respond to mounting threats, with BND chief Martin Jaeger warning that Russia has been waging a shadow war against Germany using drones, espionage, sabotage and disinformation. The expanded powers also significantly increase the BND's ability to intercept and retain data. The BfV, previously limited to gathering information and issuing reports, will become a genuine secret service according to Dobrindt, though its domestic operational role remains more limited than the BND's abroad. Civil liberties groups and critics warned the reforms could erode privacy protections and enable mass surveillance, with opposition lawmakers from far right and far left fearing the BfV could become a secret police. Defenders argued robust oversight remains in place and other European democracies already possess similar powers.