Thorsten Frei’s plan to broaden the Foreign Intelligence Service’s powers through a new BND law has drawn mixed replies from the opposition.
Konstantin von Notz of the Greens criticised the absence of draft legislation, noting that neither the BND nor the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is being reformed. He told the “Tagesspiegel” (Wednesday issue): “Each ministry continues to cook its own stew”. He praised the idea of reforming the intelligence services in principle but accused the government of moving too slowly and transparently: “There was no autumn of reform in the intelligence laws; instead there is a legislative standstill in winter”.
Clara Bünger, deputy chair of the Left’s parliamentary group, opposed the proposal outright. “Those who want to extend retention periods while shrinking oversight bodies are acting negligently and blindly with regard to democracy” she warned. She cautioned against rushing the BND reform – which Frei aims to complete this year – arguing that a law that strengthens the service and weakens oversight ultimately undermines security and democracy.
FDP vice‑chair Wolfgang Kubicki, former vice‑president of the Bundestag, called the plans unconstitutional. “Challenging the prohibition against a split between police and intelligence services, and at the same time granting the BND additional domestic powers, is a serious political taboo and, in my view, clearly unconstitutional” he said. “Practically, Frei’s idea of giving the BND military or police powers is chaoticizing German security architecture rather than ordering it”.
