The Bundestag has passed a comprehensive reform giving Germany's foreign and domestic intelligence services greater powers to combat espionage, terrorism and sabotage. The BND will in future be allowed to carry out covert operations abroad, including sabotage. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) will no longer be limited to gathering information and, where specific threats have been identified, will for the first time be able to take protective measures against property and IT systems.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who drove the legislation forward, justifies the reform by pointing to growing "hybrid threats" from foreign powers, in particular Russia, China and Iran. Left Party security spokeswoman Clara Bünger accuses him of creating a new German secret police. Sonja Eichwede of the SPD, a partner in the governing coalition, by contrast sees the reform as an important contribution to making democracy "robust and resilient".

Key points:

• Germany's foreign and domestic intelligence services are to receive greater powers to combat espionage, terrorism and sabotage, after the Bundestag approved a comprehensive overhaul of the legislation.
• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who drove the law forward, called it a "reform of the century" that was necessary because of growing threats from foreign powers.
• Left Party security spokeswoman Clara Bünger, however, said Dobrindt was creating a new German secret police.

Source: BBC News (English)