Partial rejection in the Federal Council: Union calls for tightening of the “security package”

After parts of the so-called security package were stopped in the Federal Council, Union politicians are calling for the traffic light plans to be significantly tightened. The domestic policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Alexander Throm, called for more security powers in facial recognition and data retention. “With these measures, there is an acute need for improvement in the traffic light safety package,” said the CDU politician to the “Rheinische Post”.

The Union will therefore do everything in the Mediation Committee to implement these improvements. He accused the FDP of having “torpedoed” the measures.

The Parliamentary Managing Director of the CDU, Thorsten Frei, made similar comments. When asked whether the “security package” as it is now would receive approval from the Union in the Federal Council, he replied on the RTL/ntv program ” Frühstart “: “No, that doesn’t make any sense.” It is the task of the mediation committee to find a better solution. “In any case, we are prepared to do something to improve security in Germany,” added Frei.

Tools against terrorism

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) told the “Bild” newspaper that Germany needed “appropriate storage of traffic data by telecommunications providers.” “We must give our security authorities the tools to track down terrorists and other criminals on the internet and social media.”

The traffic light coalition made up of the SPD, Greens and FDP launched the so-called security package after the knife attack in Solingen. After a controversial debate, the Bundestag approved the legislative package on Friday – but a little later the Bundesrat stopped part of it. While tightening of residence and weapons laws has been initiated, plans for more internet powers for the security authorities are on hold for the time being.

With the now failed “Law to Improve Combating Terrorism”, the Bundestag and the Federal Government can still make a rescue attempt in the Mediation Committee. The committee is made up of representatives from the Bundestag and Bundesrat and can look for solutions in such cases.

“Quick freeze process”

The controversial issue of storing communications data for investigative purposes is not part of the package. Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann recently submitted plans for this to the departmental vote. There is no plan for data retention without any reason, which Buschmann has repeatedly rejected, but rather the so-called “quick freeze procedure”. Connection data such as IP addresses and telephone numbers involved in calls are only saved if there is suspicion of a crime of significant importance – such as murder or manslaughter.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is actually in favor of a more far-reaching model – namely a new, legally compliant regulation for the storage of IP addresses without cause. Baden-Württemberg’s Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) told “Bild”: “The FDP’s actions are damaging security in the country – Buschmann is a security risk for Germany.”