News blog on federal politics: Bundestag decides on far-reaching secret service reform

The Bundestag has decided on a far-reaching reform of the German secret services. According to the legislative package passed on Friday, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) and the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) are now allowed to take active and covert action against attackers in the event of particular threats, instead of simply collecting information as before. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution may also restrict cooperation with individual state offices in the future in response to the AfD's election victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the law a “reform of the century” that would mark the beginning of a new era for the authorities.

“Intelligence services are becoming real secret services,” said Dobrindt. “We need these measures against the enemies of democracy who threaten this country from outside and inside.” SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Sonja Eichwede explained that the move would strengthen “the defense of democracy”.

Germany's domestic and foreign secret services have so far had significantly fewer rights, not only in comparison to the USA, but also to the services of other European countries. The rule of law was intended to be secured from the experience of the Nazi regime. The services are now allowed to use cyberattacks to disrupt attackers' infrastructure, redirect data traffic, delete information stored for attacks or deliberately spread false information. However, such attacks are subject to the priority of the police authorities at the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Minors can also be recruited in individual cases. However, these instruments only come into consideration if gaps in protection cannot be closed otherwise, for example because information from foreign partner services cannot be passed on to the police.

The Independent Control Council will play a central role in the future. This is a committee made up primarily of former judges that examines the legality of certain measures in advance. This includes, for example, secretly entering an apartment.

With the reform, the coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD is reacting to an increased threat situation with regard to the activities of foreign secret services - for example from Russia. In addition, a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court has made new requirements for the BND's telecommunications intelligence necessary. The changes are also intended to reduce dependence on information provided by intelligence services of friendly states.

The federal government has launched a reform of parental allowance. As deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille announced, the plans were approved by Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) on Thursday via a circular cabinet decision. Accordingly, the maximum subscription period remains 14 months. However, details regarding parental allowance should change.

In the future, each parent will have to use at least four months of parental allowance for the full benefit period; currently it is two. It is also planned to slightly increase the minimum and maximum amounts for parental allowance. Currently, parental allowance is usually 65 percent of the net income before the birth of the child. The new plans stipulate that 80 percent will be paid in the months reserved for one parent, but only 50 percent in the other months.

The Family Ministry hopes, among other things, that the changes will mean that fathers will take on the care of their young children to a greater extent than before. Prien's house received a lot of criticism with its first reform proposal in the summer. At that time it was planned to shorten the maximum period of receipt of parental allowance to twelve months.

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider was cautious about the question of whether the federal government would extend the fuel discount beyond the end of the year. “The high prices are a big burden, and in the short term most people have no chance of switching,” Schneider told the Funke media. That's why it's right for the government to now provide people with temporary relief.

“At the same time, no country can permanently subsidize against the world market,” said the SPD politician. It is important to reduce dependence on expensive oil and gas, “for example by helping people switch with subsidies for heat pumps and electric cars”.

The federal budget for the coming year is in place – at least provisionally. The responsible budget committee decided on a few changes to the ministries' budgets that night. The committee then approved the budget early Friday morning. The federal government will now be allowed to spend more money in 2027 than ever before in one year. Spending of around 560.9 billion euros is planned, which is 5.5 billion more than the federal government had planned in its government draft.

However, it is still unclear whether the Union and the SPD can still finance a reduction in electricity tax for everyone. The approximately 5.4 billion euros required for this are not included in the draft. Whether the reduction will still come will be clarified in the coalition committee on Tuesday.

In the future, there will be mandatory language and development tests for children in daycare centers nationwide. The Bundestag passed a corresponding law this Thursday. The so-called Starting Opportunities and Quality Development Act also provides for more staff for daycare centers in difficult situations, analogous to an existing funding program for schools.

According to CDU finance politician Mathias Middelberg, there was a heated argument within the Union faction during the budget debate. In the special meeting on Wednesday evening “there was a lot of bang,” said Middelberg on Deutschlandfunk. "You can say that quite openly. But that's not a bad thing in a democratic party, in a democratic function."