Klöckner asserts: The Bundestag is an alluring objective
The German Bundestag, the national parliament, has implemented stricter access controls following a series of cyber-attacks, the most significant of which occurred in May 2015, infecting computers in numerous MPs' offices, including then Chancellor Angela Merkel's office.
Current security measures in the Bundestag include enhanced vetting of visitors, expanded security checks for all staff, and the authority to deny entry to anyone deemed a risk to parliamentary safety or functioning. However, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and others have identified significant gaps, particularly in the ability of parliamentary police to act on intelligence about potential threats.
One of the main challenges lies in information sharing. Domestic security agencies, such as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), are currently barred from sharing critical threat information with the Bundestag police. This limits the ability to preemptively address security risks, especially given the Bundestag’s status as the world’s most-visited parliament, with over two million annual visitors.
Another concern is visitor protocols during plenary sessions, when public galleries are open and close to parliamentary chambers. There are concerns about the adequacy of safeguards once inside.
In response to these vulnerabilities, prominent proposals include a Bundestag Police Act, which would formalize and expand the powers of parliamentary police, particularly regarding threat assessment and response. Such a law would aim to close the information gap by enabling intelligence sharing between domestic security agencies and the Bundestag police.
The proposed reforms would also improve the Bundestag’s ability to vet visitors and staff, drawing on up-to-date intelligence to identify and mitigate risks before they materialize. Additionally, the new law would likely integrate physical and cyber security measures, reflecting the evolving nature of threats to parliamentary institutions.
Julia Klöckner, the Bundestag President, believes that if the German Bundestag were to be paralyzed due to a cyber-attack, it would be a triumph for hackers. She advocates for a legal basis to allow the Bundestag police to receive information if someone is classified as a threat or has already been noticed in a way that endangers the constitution.
The push for enhanced parliamentary security occurs against a backdrop of heightened concerns about far-right extremism, which German authorities now regard as the country’s greatest security threat. The federal government also blames Russia for an attack on the SPD party headquarters in 2023.
A summary table outlines the current measures and proposed changes, highlighting the focus on enhanced vetting, new legislation, and integrated security frameworks.
In conclusion, current efforts to secure the Bundestag focus on tightening access, expanding checks, and improving cyber defenses, but face limitations—especially in intelligence sharing and post-entry safeguards. The main proposed change is a Bundestag Police Act, which would empower parliamentary police with greater access to threat information and formalize their role in both physical and cyber security. This legislative reform is seen as essential to closing existing gaps and ensuring the Bundestag’s resilience against a complex and evolving threat landscape.
- The gaps in the Bundestag's security, particularly in the sharing of critical threat information, have been acknowledged by Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and others, limiting the ability to preemptively address security risks, especially given the Bundestag's status as the world's most-visited parliament.
- One of the main proposals to address these vulnerabilities is a Bundestag Police Act, which would enable intelligence sharing between domestic security agencies and the Bundestag police, aiming to close the information gap and improve the Bundestag’s ability to vet visitors and staff.
- The new legislation, if passed, would likely integrate physical and cyber security measures, reflecting the evolving nature of threats to parliamentary institutions, and would provide a legal basis for the Bundestag police to receive information if someone is classified as a threat or has already been noticed in a way that endangers the constitution.
