Political parties are proposing various security strategies for the 2025 federal election, focusing on crime prevention and law enforcement enhancement. The SPD advocates for modernized police powers and AI capabilities, while the Union supports increased surveillance and tougher penalties. The Greens emphasize targeted digital policing and stricter gun laws, whereas the FDP prioritizes civil liberties and clearer oversight of security agencies. Each party presents distinct approaches to balancing security needs with individual rights.
Federal Election 2025: Security Strategies
How can police and security agencies effectively tackle crime? Political parties are presenting a variety of proposals in their election platforms, ranging from the use of tasers to electronic ankle monitors and data retention strategies.
The call for enhanced and modernized powers for security agencies has been a recurring theme, notably during the discussions within the previous coalition government. A security package was proposed but faced setbacks due to opposition from the Union in the Bundesrat.
When it comes to policy positions, the SPD and Union share more common ground compared to the Union and the FDP, who align more closely with the Greens. However, there are also some agreements between the Union and the AfD, particularly concerning juvenile criminal law applications.
Social Democratic Party (SPD) Initiatives
The SPD is advocating for a ‘modern federal police law’ that delineates ‘clear powers’ necessary to confront contemporary security challenges effectively.
They propose that the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Police gain automated data analysis capabilities powered by artificial intelligence. This idea was part of the earlier security package introduced by the previous coalition but fell short in the Bundesrat due to opposition from Union-led states and the Green-led state of Baden-Württemberg.
To enhance the protection of women against violence, the SPD plans to implement measures like electronic ankle bracelets and mandatory anti-violence training for offenders. Following the dissolution of the previous coalition, the federal government attempted to introduce similar proposals, which ultimately did not secure a majority in the Bundestag.
The SPD aims to transform the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) into a central office, a move supported by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser but hindered by resistance from certain federal states, necessitating a constitutional amendment.
While the SPD’s election program does not explicitly endorse IP address storage, both Faeser and prominent SPD politicians have advocated for this practice in recent months.
Union’s Approach (CDU/CSU)
The Union is pushing for an expansion of video surveillance in areas deemed high-risk and the implementation of automated facial recognition technology at transport hubs and crime hotspots to identify offenders.
They also propose tightening criminal laws, with increased penalties for stalking, knife-related bodily harm, and gang rapes. Like the SPD, the Union supports the use of electronic ankle bracelets for offenders to protect women from violence.
For individuals aged 18 to 21, the Union suggests that standard criminal laws should apply. Currently, judges can decide whether to apply juvenile laws based on the young person’s mental maturity. Additionally, they question the appropriateness of not prosecuting children under 14.
The Union also seeks to mandate that service providers store IP addresses to assist in investigating and preventing child sexual offenses and terrorist activities. They request additional powers, including source telecommunications surveillance, online searches, and automated data analysis capabilities.
Police officers should be outfitted with tasers and body cameras nationwide, with permission to use these devices in residential settings. The Union also aims to abolish the police commissioner role established by the previous coalition and opposes mandatory identification and control receipts.
The Union believes intelligence services should have access to ‘necessary powers’, though their election program does not specify what those powers entail.
Similar to the SPD, the Union also advocates for expanding the BSI into a central office and seeks to reverse the legalization of cannabis enacted by the previous coalition.
Greens’ Vision for Security
The Greens are also calling for a modernization of federal police law. They wish to enhance police capabilities in the digital realm but emphasize that such powers should be targeted and cause-related, which suggests a stance against broad data retention.
They plan to make it more challenging for extremists to obtain firearms, advocating for a strengthening of gun laws to limit access to deadly weapons.
The Greens support the continuance of the police commissioner role and promote mandatory identification for federal police officers during controls, ensuring that officers provide receipts detailing the reasons for such checks.
Additionally, they propose harsher penalties for organized crime and aim to improve asset seizure capabilities within criminal proceedings.
They seek to equip the intelligence services with sufficient personnel, technology, and constitutionally compliant authority, though specifics are lacking.
The Greens are reviving a project from their previous government tenure, known as the overall surveillance calculation, which is set to be evaluated by the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security, and Law, with results pending.
FDP’s Commitment to Civil Liberties
The Liberals emphasize their dedication to the rule of law and civil rights concerning internal security. They advocate for a reorganization of responsibilities between federal and state levels, citing the current legal powers of security agencies as ‘confusing and incomprehensible’. They call for clearer legal frameworks and improved oversight of intelligence services, criticizing the existing ‘fragmented control landscape’.
During the previous coalition, the FDP had proposed a comprehensive reform of intelligence service law, which did not materialize. They also seek to establish a legal framework for the Joint Counter-Terrorism Center, which facilitates information sharing among security authorities.
Like the Greens, the FDP supported the idea of an overall surveillance calculation during their time in office.