Germany to reveal major changes to national security strategy amid hybrid threats

In its first session, expected to take place by early November, Germany’s newly established National Security Council plans to adopt an “Action Plan to Counter Hybrid Threats.” The initiative marks a major step in the government’s efforts to strengthen national resilience against cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and emerging technological risks, reflecting growing concern in Berlin over the country’s vulnerability to hybrid warfare.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) hinted at the plan's content during a speech to parliament last week, stating that “in a few days, an action plan to counter hybrid threats will be discussed,” as reported by the German Tagesspiegel. He vowed, “We will resist them now and in the future.”

Sonja Eichwede, deputy chair of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) parliamentary group, told the publication:

“We are currently discussing within the coalition how to effectively and adequately protect our country in accordance with the current threat situation. The decisions we make together will send an important signal for greater security and for our strong, capable democracy.”

The Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has already taken preliminary steps by introducing a new draft of the Federal Police Law last week. For the first time, federal police officers will be granted authority not only to use their own drones for surveillance during large public events but also to implement defensive measures against hostile drones.

Looking ahead, Dobrindt intends to establish a “Drone Defense Center” that will consolidate federal and state powers under one roof. According to the Interior Ministry, the goal is to “further integrate police and military drone defense and develop new defensive capabilities.” The concept was originally proposed by SPD state interior ministers, who have pushed for closer coordination between civilian and military security services.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), as the leading party in the governing coalition, has outlined its security priorities in a new policy paper adopted by the party’s federal executive board this week. Many of these points are expected to be reflected in the government’s official action plan once the National Security Council meets for the first time in November.

The CDU paper emphasizes that, given the increasing number and sophistication of cyberattacks, security agencies must be equipped “with the necessary powers, qualified personnel, and modern infrastructure” and work together in a highly networked manner.

The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) in Bonn will be expanded to become, alongside the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, a “strong third pillar” of Germany’s virtual security architecture. The already existing National Cyber Defense Center should also gain operational capabilities during crises — such as in the event of an attack on a satellite network — and be authorized to coordinate countermeasures.

In terms of civil protection, which becomes essential when critical infrastructure is targeted or damaged, the CDU is proposing a “special program for civil defense.” This would fund the creation and renovation of shelters, enhance “protection against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear substances,” and improve the resources of civil defense organizations nationwide.

Another focal point of the CDU’s paper is combating disinformation, which it calls a “creeping poison for the cohesion of our society.” The document demands decisive action against individuals who “voluntarily and knowingly act as accomplices of states and organizations seeking to undermine our liberal-democratic order.” It further stresses that threats do not fall under the protection of freedom of expression.

Automated online bots are also singled out as a major threat. The party calls for bots to be “removed from the internet as quickly as possible, since they distort public perception.”

At the same time, it urges increased research into countering disinformation using AI, arguing that “algorithms spreading false information or deepfakes can only be detected, reported, and corrected in real time by algorithms and artificial intelligence.”

By Nazrin Sadigova