Marc Henrichmann, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Control Body (PKGr) and a member of the CDU, anticipates that the comprehensive reform of intelligence services law will be concluded by the end of the year. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, he stated that due to respect for the Federal Constitutional Court, “the necessary reform of the intelligence services must be finalized by Christmas at the latest.” The court had set a deadline for the end of the year to improve the rules of the Federal Intelligence Service and to make intelligence oversight more effective.
Henrichmann noted that ongoing discussions about the reform are advancing rapidly. He stressed that the current threat environment, characterized by nearly daily sabotage and espionage incidents, as well as hybrid attacks, underscores the crucial necessity of reforming the intelligence services law. He added that the essential increase in authorities must be accompanied by strengthened oversight.
However, Konstantin von Notz, the PKGr’s Vice Chairman and a Green party member, sharply criticized what he described as “massive” failures on the part of the Federal Interior Ministry regarding the reform process. The Green politician told the newspaper that the procedure following the first reading in the coming week was still entirely unclear, and no hearings have been scheduled yet.
Looking at the Federal Constitutional Court’s expiring deadline at the end of the year, von Notz believes that a massive effort from Parliament is now required. He argued that political factions must rectify the government’s numerous previous errors. While he supports equipping the BND with robust powers as the “right way,” he also maintained that “significant areas still require changes” to ensure an appropriate balance between freedom and security and to guarantee that the proposals comply with the Basic Law.
