Putin threat pushes Germany to hand spy agency BND sweeping new powers
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's cabinet approved a reform granting Germany's foreign intelligence agency BND powers to conduct sabotage and offensive cyber operations, moving beyond its traditional information-gathering role. The move responds to growing hybrid threats from Russia and a desire to reduce reliance on U.S. intelligence sharing.
Germany's cabinet under Chancellor Friedrich Merz approved a reform on Wednesday that would significantly expand the powers of the country's foreign intelligence service, the BND. Until now, the agency was restricted to gathering information, a limitation put in place after World War II to prevent a repeat of abuses committed by Nazi-era spy networks. Under the new reform, BND operatives would be permitted to carry out sabotage, conduct offensive cyber operations and pursue more aggressive espionage activities.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said after the cabinet meeting that Germany faces daily espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks and covert actions by foreign powers seeking to destabilize the country and force political and social change. Nina Warken, the chancellery official overseeing the reform, acknowledged Germany has long relied too heavily on partner countries for sophisticated intelligence operations, calling that assistance largely a one-way arrangement.
Historical background and threats
Founded in 1956, Germany's foreign intelligence service has operated under far stricter legal constraints than agencies in other countries, leaving it especially dependent on U.S. intelligence sharing. Concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump could curtail or use that cooperation as leverage, combined with escalating threats linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, have added pressure for change.
The push gained urgency after an explosive-laden drone was spotted last week near Leipzig-Halle Airport close to a Ukrainian Antonov aircraft used for transporting munitions. Dobrindt stopped short of directly blaming Russia but said the incident showed a clear hybrid threat often tied to foreign powers. An investigation into the drone sighting remains ongoing.
New powers
The reform would let authorities actively respond to hybrid threats like the Leipzig drone case, with measures ranging from exposing those responsible and destroying their property to disarming explosives before an attack or feeding false intelligence to adversaries afterward. Any response must be directly tied to the triggering incident and must not endanger life or physical safety.
The BND would also face fewer data-protection restrictions, enabling wider use of tools such as artificial intelligence and facial recognition, along with longer data retention periods. The agency's budget has already grown by about 26 percent this year, to €1.51 billion. The reform still requires approval from both chambers of parliament before taking effect by 2027.
