Greens leader Felix Banaszak has called for increased police presence at train stations, criticizing the decision made by Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) to pull back a significant portion of federal police personnel to deploy them at the border. Banaszak stated to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Saturday edition) that this move was misguided, noting that these officers were needed elsewhere for other security purposes.
According to the newspaper, this push signals a shift in the Greens’ strategy: they aim to address the general public’s heightened sense of insecurity by placing the issue of security at the center of their political agenda. Banaszak admitted that the Greens had not previously positioned security as a central theme in the overall public dialogue, adding, “I want to change that”. This approach allows the party to challenge the ruling coalition on a crucial policy field.
On the topic of external threats, Banaszak warned of escalating dangers, citing Russia’s hybrid attacks, such as the recent phishing scam targeting Signal. He stated that “Putin has declared us an enemy” emphasizing that democracy and security in Europe are currently at risk. Consequently, the Greens are demanding rapid reforms within the intelligence services and greater authority for these agencies. Banaszak urged that the BND (German Federal Intelligence Service) and the Federal Constitution Agency require improved resources-both financially, technically, and staffing-wise. “We do not have time to waste” he cautioned. He further criticized Dobrindt, suggesting that if Dobrindt were solely a full-time Federal Interior Minister, he would tackle these issues much faster.
Banaszak personally took the risk warning seriously, noting that “for some conversations, the cell phone now stays in a side room”.