Secret services: BND crisis diplomat Jäger should make BND even more powerful

The experienced crisis diplomat Martin Jäger should make the Federal Intelligence Service even more powerful given wars, crises and growing hybrid threat. “Our claim must be that we also achieve the highest level of the news,” said the Federal Government Commissioner for the intelligence services and Chancellor’s Office Head of Thorsten Frei of the German Press Agency to change the leadership at the head of the German foreign intelligence service.

The hunter was most recently German ambassador in Ukraine. He officially replaces Bruno Kahl as BND President two days after his 61st birthday at a festive reception in the BND headquarters in the middle of Berlin. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is also expected for the ceremony. After nine years old, the 63 -year -old Kahl will change in office as a German representative to the Holy Chair in Rome.

Chancellery: BND must increase operational skills

Frei wrote Jäger in the order book to make the service more operational. “Performance is first measured by the ability to obtain relevant secret information.” For this purpose, the BND must be legally and technically able. The service must work with its partners in Germany, especially the Bundeswehr, but also the European and international partners even more intensively than before. “This requires a further increase in the BND’s operational skills,” said Frei.

Secret service inspector: strengthening the BND educational work

The chairman of the parliamentary body for the control of the intelligence services, Marc Henrichmann, called for a reform of the powers of the secret service. “The BND needs threatening powers, personnel, personnel and high-quality technical equipment among hunters, who is both a political and crisis test, in order to effectively protect our country from enemies,” said the CDU politician of the dpa. Against the background of daily growing threat and escalation by Russia and China, performance -strong intelligence services are life insurance.

Jäger, as an experienced crisis diplomat, which was active in Afghanistan, Iraq and most recently in Kiev, had the task of making the BND more resistant and strengthening its intelligence work. “Especially in times of steadily growing threat, with now regular espionage and sabotage campaigns, we have to be topical,” said Henrichmann.

Green demands security offensive against hybrid threats

The Bundestag-Greens call for a better network of the security authorities of state, federal and European levels to change the wake. “A real security offensive of the Federal Government against Hybrid Threats is over and remains overdue,” said the deputy faction leader Konstantin von Notz of the German Press Agency. A current and uniform overall layer is also necessary.

It is gratifying that the Federal Intelligence Service with hunter will receive an experienced and competent new president, praised von Notz, who is also Vice Chair of the Secret Service Controller. The intelligence services faced huge challenges. Hybrid attacks from Russia and other authoritarian states, espionage, sabotage and disinformation threatened security and freedom. An adequate response from the Federal Government must include a comprehensive and timely reform of the intelligence department. “With her, strengthening the services and control must come alike,” he said.

Critics: Operative possibilities of the BND cut too much

Compared to partner services such as in the United States, operational possibilities of the BND have recently been circumcised too much, critics complain. At the same time, the control was expanded by the Bundestag. In contrast, there are voices from politics that criticize that the BND is too heavily dependent on information from friends of friends in some areas.

Martin Jäger: crisis diplomat with business experience

The Jäger, born in Ulm, who was born in Baden-Württemberg, went to the foreign service after studying ethnology and politics in Munich. After starting in Bonn in the Federal Foreign Office, he became a speaker in the Chancellery and 2002 speaker at the message in Prague. After a stopover as deputy head of unit at the Chancellery in Berlin, he was spokesman for the Federal Foreign Office from 2005 to 2008. He then switched to Daimler AG as head of the external relationships until 2013.

From 2013 to 2014, Jäger worked as an ambassador in the Afghan capital Kabul, after which he was head of the management staff until 2016 under the then finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU). After times as State Secretary in the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior (2016 to 2018) and in the Ministry of Development (2018 to 2021), Jäger Germany represented from 2021 to 2023 as an ambassador in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. He has been an ambassador in Kyiv since 2023.