At a rare public hearing Germany's intelligence agencies identified Russia as the country's most dangerous adversary. The threat from China is also coming into focus. And the homegrown far right also poses a challenge.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/11727964

The heads of Germany’s intelligence agencies rarely provide information openly. What members of the Bundestag’s Parliamentary Control Committee discuss in their bug-proof meeting room with the presidents of the Federal Intelligence Service, or Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), as well as the president of the Military Counterintelligence Service, is strictly confidential.

Since 2016, however, a public meeting has been held once a year, open to journalists, as well as citizens who register in advance. At this year’s meeting, held Monday, intelligence officials seemed extremely alarmed. They painted a picture of a country in the midst of a confrontation with Russia.

“The military scenarios envisioned for the year 2029 have already become a reality today in the shadowy world of intelligence,” BfV President Sinan Selen said, referring to a recent assessment by NATO experts that, under certain conditions, Russia could be capable of launching an attack on the alliance in a few years.

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As one analysis in 2025 said, Marriage of Convenience: How European Far-Right and Far-Left Discovered China.

… Both Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and France’s Rassemblement National (RN) prioritize economic pragmatism and national sovereignty. These parties argue that decoupling from China or imposing economic sanctions harms European economies, advocating instead for stronger economic cooperation with Beijing. They view China as a crucial trading partner and a counterbalance to US influence, frequently criticizing the EU for its alignment with Washington on foreign policy issues …

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