London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025

Germany must overhaul its national security strategy, interior minister says

Germany must overhaul its national security strategy, interior minister says

Nancy Faeser outlines plans to focus on cyberattacks, disinformation and critical infrastructure.
Germany needs to overhaul not only its territorial defense strategy but also its national security architecture, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said.

“Our external and internal security are intimately intertwined. And it takes a strong domestic policy to ensure security in and for our country,” she said in a speech on Tuesday, where she outlined a massive makeover of the country's national security strategy.

“We have felt too safe for too long. That's why we must now do everything in our power to make up for the major failures of recent years and decades,” Faeser, who hails from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, said.

The German government has already agreed to adopt a national security strategy in its coalition agreement. Since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of the Interior has been working on the strategy with the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Foreign Office.

At an event organized by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Faeser previewed the main elements of the new National Security Strategy, which will be in place by early 2023. She highlighted threats posed by cyberattacks as well as disinformation, and the need to protect critical infrastructure.

“For me, the first and foremost priority of the National Security Strategy is the protection and defense of the free democratic society in Germany,” Faeser said. To achieve this goal, she said, her ministry is already shutting down channels spreading misinformation, calling on social media platforms to delete “particularly drastic” false information, and applying debunking to counter the false information with trustworthy sources.

She named three domestic policy principles as particularly important for mastering the current security challenges: protecting democracy and the rule of law, strengthening Germany's resilience, and spreading security awareness among the population.

Faeser didn’t shy away from putting some blame on the complex German federal government structure. “Challenges we face in the area of safety and security are often rooted in the architecture of our federal system, or they arise from the division of responsibilities between departments. I am convinced that if we want more resilience, we have to address this,” Faeser said.

To help deal with this, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) will be expanded into a central office in the field of cyber and information security, she said.

“In addition, the federal government urgently needs threat-defending powers that can prevent, stop or at least mitigate cyberattacks,” the minister said. “We will therefore give the federal government the leading role in defending against cyber threats and also anchor this in the basic law.” The interior ministry also wants to introduce a federal crisis coordination team, replacing the principle of ministerial autonomy in threat and crisis situations.

Lastly, the minister advocated for establishing new security awareness among the population. It is essential, she said, to make “binding agreements to actively involve all citizens.” To this end, a Civil Protection Day will be introduced in Germany from 2023.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×