About two-thirds of people in Germany regard the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a threat to democracy, according to a new Politbarometer poll conducted by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for the broadcaster ZDF. Asked whether the AfD poses a danger to democracy in the country, 68% of respondents said yes and...
Former BND chief arrested on suspicion of espionage
Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office said that on Tuesday, on warrants issued by an investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice, agents arrested August Hanning, the former president of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), and Manfred D., his former chief of staff. Both are suspected of passing on and using...
Bundeswehr to set up first drone regiment in 2027
Germany’s armed forces will form their first regiment for unmanned systems. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced this on Thursday at the Bergen training area. He said an independent unit for unmanned systems will be established in the course of 2027. The regiment is planned to have up to 600 service...
Berlin airport activates early-warning drone detection system
A new drone detection system has entered service at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport said. The system is designed to detect unmanned aircraft at an early stage in approach and departure zones and promptly alert the authorities responsible for air traffic safety. Germany’s air navigation service...
Germany and five other EU countries issue ultimatum over 2028–2034 EU budget
Germany, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden have said they will not support the European Union’s seven-year budget for 2028–2034 without substantial changes. The position was set out by the so-called “frugal” countries — net contributors to the EU budget. The six states are demanding that the European Commission’s...
German intelligence services step up surveillance of the Russian embassy in Berlin
German intelligence services have tightened surveillance of the Russian embassy in Berlin. The newspaper Bild reported this on September 28, citing sources in German government circles. According to the paper, cars and vans believed to belong to German security agencies have in recent days been regularly parked outside the diplomatic...
Germany expands powers of the Federal Police
On 25 September 2026, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat approved a comprehensive reform of the Federal Police Act (Bundespolizeigesetz). The law, whose core dated back to 1994, gives the Federal Police new surveillance tools, broader investigative powers and a stronger role in migration control. In the Bundestag the bill passed...
Closing the “Russian House” did not dismantle Russia’s influence system in Germany
Russia uses the network of “Russian Houses,” which operate under the state agency Rossotrudnichestvo, not only to promote the language and culture but also to work with compatriots, shape a loyal information environment, and preserve political and social influence in the countries where it is present. Rossotrudnichestvo itself has been...
German government approves plan against organized social benefits fraud
The German federal government has approved a ten-point plan at a cabinet meeting to combat abuse of social benefits and exploitation, particularly in connection with freedom of movement within the EU. The document was prepared by Labor and Social Affairs Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU)....
Shadows of the Third Reich in AfD politics
After Germany’s defeat in the Second World War in 1945, the country built its subsequent political system on the principle that a repeat of the political catastrophe of the Third Reich must be impossible. The new political order of the Federal Republic of Germany rested on recognition of and acceptance...