In a move welcomed by the Greens and the Union, the likely election of Martin Jäger as the new President of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has garnered support. According to Konstantin von Notz, the chairman of the parliamentary control committee for the intelligence services, Jäger would undoubtedly bring a wealth of experience to the role, making him well-equipped to excel in the position. The new BND president is expected to face a highly responsible and challenging task.
Notz, in an interview with the Handelsblatt, emphasized the need for the BND to be given a modern, efficient and constitutional legal framework, which has long been overdue. Additionally, the government must utilize the available financial resources to strengthen the BND, enabling it to effectively fulfill its role in the German security architecture in the face of numerous threats to democratic freedom.
Roderich Kieswetter, a CDU politician, also praised the likely decision to appoint Jäger, describing him as a president with diverse experience in security policy, who takes a holistic approach to security and has a deep understanding of security threats, gained through his experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine. Kieswetter believes that Jäger, with his background in internal security, economy and financial security, would quickly identify the necessary skills and legal frameworks required to equip the BND for the current threat landscape.