Germany proposes sweeping powers for BND and Verfassungsschutz amid Russian threat concerns

Berlin is set to overhaul its intelligence framework, granting the foreign service BND and the domestic Verfassungsschutz extensive new powers. The draft would allow the agencies to carry out sabotage missions overseas and employ "hack-back" techniques to delete stolen data or disrupt adversary systems. Within Germany, the Verfassungsschutz could covertly enter residences, scrutinise computers online and neutralise threats without police involvement.

BND president Martin Jäger warned that Russia represents the most immediate and comprehensive threat to the country. Opponents argue the changes jeopardise the traditional separation between police and intelligence, pointing to the United States' post-9/11 expansion of anti-terror tools that later targeted internal dissent, including recent high-profile prosecutions. The proposal raises fundamental questions about the balance between state security and citizens' freedoms in a democratic society.