German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) announced on Wednesday that Grit Tüngler will become the new president of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK). The administrative lawyer will take over the office’s leadership on 1 April 2026.
“Civil protection is a central pillar of our security architecture” Dobrindt said. He stressed that the current security situation requires the BBK to be “more modern, more decisive and more resilient to crises”. He added that Tüngler’s extensive experience will help further strengthen Germany’s civil defence.
Tüngler explained that population protection and disaster aid face significant challenges amid emerging risks and increasingly complex crises. Her goal is to make Germany even more resilient by expanding the country’s capabilities in prevention, crisis management and rapid assistance.
With more than two decades of experience in senior federal administration roles, Tüngler previously headed the Aviation Safety division at the Federal Ministry of Transport. Prior to that, she worked at the Federal Office for Maritime and Hydrography.
