DPA interview: Free: New Security Council does not deprive countries

By establishing a new National Security Council in Germany, Chancellor’s head Thorsten Frei will not change powers from the federal states to the federal government. “No, that is not to be expected. We respect the sovereign rights of the countries. Of course it is clear,” said the CDU politician in the video interview of the German Press Agency. He has “no doubt at all” that “excellent work is already being done in the countries like in the federal government. “But it has to be closely coordinated, so that in the end a conclusive solution comes out.”

Appointment in the coalition agreement

Union and SPD want to install a national security council in the Chancellery. The aim is to coordinate the essential questions of an integrating security policy there, to provide strategy development and strategic foresight and to carry out a joint situation evaluation in crises. The security policy is not only the responsibility of the federal government, the federal states also have a crucial role here.

Merz has already signed organizational decree

Frei emphasized that Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) signed a corresponding organizational decree in the first cabinet meeting after the government formation on Tuesday evening. “It is now the basis for the administrative agreements between the affected departments. And so this national security council will also be created bit by bit,” said Frei. “The idea behind it is that we believe that Germany is faced with many crises that cannot be pressed into individual sectors.”

New structure should enable maximum security

There are challenges that have a foreign policy, a security and defense policy, a development policy or a domestic component, said Frei. “And we have to think that together. Safety should be considered comprehensively, and our responsibility is to achieve maximum security for people in Germany.” In domestic politics, this never only includes the federal government alone, but also the 16 countries. “And that’s why we need a coherent, uniform position. On this basis, we also need coherent and coherent measures to protect security. That is the goal of this national security council.”