(de-news.net) – Under proposed amendments to the Federal Police Act, the CDU/CSU and SPD parliamentary factions plan to authorize Germany’s Federal Police to conduct real-time biometric matching using live surveillance camera footage. The bill, part of a broader reform of the Federal Police’s legal framework, is scheduled for its final Bundestag debate on Friday.
A new Section 31b would provide the legal basis for real-time biometric detection, allowing designated biometric profiles to be automatically matched against live camera images. The government argues that the proposal is consistent with the European Union’s AI Act, which permits narrowly defined exceptions to its general ban on real-time biometric identification in public spaces.
The technology would be restricted to exceptional cases involving serious threats, including terrorism, imminent risks to life or national security, and searches for victims of kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual exploitation, or missing persons in immediate danger. Judicial authorization would normally be required, with emergency use permitted subject to court approval within 24 hours. Automated matches would require independent verification by two AI-trained officers, while unconfirmed matches would be deleted. Authorizations would be limited to 72 hours initially, and the system could access only live video streams, excluding archived footage.
In a separate annual report, Federal Police Commissioner Uli Grötsch (SPD) highlighted operational challenges facing the force, including heavy workloads, equipment shortages, and aging infrastructure. The report also documented complaints involving sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, and racial profiling, while concluding that additional investment is needed to modernize facilities and organizational structures.
Grötsch argued that strengthening a culture of openness about mistakes would improve public trust. He noted that greater transparency and self-review are becoming more widely accepted within the Federal Police, although progress remains uneven across different leadership structures. He emphasized that the public expects accountability and openness rather than perfection. Appointed in 2024 as Germany’s first Federal Police Commissioner, Grötsch heads an independent oversight office responsible for investigating alleged police misconduct and identifying structural issues to promote accountability and reinforce public confidence.
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD), on her part, has stated during the bill’s initial reading in the Bundestag that the proposed reform would establish a legal basis for the use of biometric online image matching, enabling law enforcement authorities to automatically compare photographs of suspected terrorists with images obtained from social media platforms. Hubig further maintained that the legislation would incorporate clearly defined legal boundaries that would remain subject to judicial oversight, while restricting the use of the new investigative powers to the investigation of particularly serious criminal offenses: terrorism, homicide, and child sexual abuse.
Meanwhile, lawmakers opposing the proposal challenged both the adequacy of its safeguards and its legal compatibility. Konstantin von Notz (Greens) argued that the draft legislation lacked the necessary degree of legal precision and proportionate protective mechanisms, contending that, if enacted without substantial revision, it would likely face a constitutional challenge before Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court. Clara Bünger (Left Party) likewise maintained that the proposal was incompatible with both the German Constitution and European law. Martin Jacobi (AfD) also voiced concerns, arguing that the introduction of biometric image matching would facilitate the large-scale analysis of photographs depicting individuals who have no connection to criminal investigations. Thereby, he stated, the potential scope of surveillance would be expanded beyond persons suspected of criminal offenses.
