The German government has proposed a plan that could allow German Police to raid homes over sharing non-mainstream content online and on social media. According to reports from Der Spiegel and RND, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) may soon have the authority to conduct secret raids without a warrant.
The draft proposal also includes provisions for police to install spyware on suspects’ devices and conduct covert home searches if suspected of holding anti-establishment views.
While the Interior Ministry has declined to discuss details, a spokesperson emphasised the need for security agencies to have sufficient powers to counter modern threats.
However, these measures conflict with German law. Article 13 of the German constitution guarantees the inviolability of the home, requiring a warrant from the prosecutor’s office for searches unless there is an imminent threat. Police must also disclose the suspicions and purpose of the search to the individual.
The Free Democratic Party opposes the plan, with Bundestag member Manuel Hoferlin expressing concern over the secrecy surrounding such searches.
Meanwhile, the vice-chair of the Greens in the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, has defended the plans, arguing that in these “serious times,” the BKA needs modern investigative powers and resources.
The German Association of Journalists (DJV) also strongly opposes the proposal, warning that journalists and whistleblowers could be targeted by these secretive methods, which they liken to those of “police states.”
