(de-news.net) – Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has announced a planned intensification of measures aimed at countering left-wing extremism, accompanied by an expansion of security authorities and complementary legislative initiatives designed to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. In remarks delivered in Berlin, the minister emphasized that this recalibration of priorities would not come at the expense of existing efforts to combat Islamist threats or right-wing extremism. Instead, he indicated that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution would be reinforced with additional personnel in order to improve its capacity for systematic observation, assessment, and analytical evaluation of left-wing extremist activities.
This renewed policy emphasis follows an arson attack earlier in the year targeting a cable bridge in western Berlin, an incident that investigators have assessed as likely motivated by left-wing extremism. The attack caused a power outage lasting several days in the southwestern districts of the capital, underscoring the vulnerability of essential infrastructure to politically motivated sabotage. In the aftermath, statements of responsibility attributed to so-called Vulcan groups circulated, prompting a coordinated response by federal authorities. The Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Prosecutor General subsequently announced a joint reward of up to one million euros for information that leads to the identification and prosecution of those responsible. According to Dobrindt, this financial incentive is intended to be supplemented by a broad public awareness campaign in Berlin and Brandenburg, with the objective of encouraging civic engagement and cooperation with investigative authorities.
Beyond the planned personnel increases, the Interior Minister also outlined a broader expansion of investigative powers, with particular emphasis on the digital domain. These measures include the increased use of automated data analysis and biometric facial recognition as tools to enhance law enforcement effectiveness in complex investigative environments. Legislative steps to extend and clarify the legal basis for such methods have already been initiated in parallel. In addition, the Bundestag is expected to pass a law on the protection of critical infrastructures within the coming week. This legislation would place greater responsibility on infrastructure operators to conduct systematic risk assessments and to strengthen resilience measures, thereby reducing susceptibility to targeted attacks and improving overall security preparedness.
