FDP should not slow down
SPD advocates more internal security
April 26, 2024, 2:39 a.m
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The Social Democrats are calling for a domestic political turnaround – with regard to security issues. The authorities should be given more powers and also better equipped to quickly contain espionage incidents and criminal movements. The SPD sees the FDP as having a duty here.
Ahead of the FDP federal party conference next weekend, the SPD is pushing for more powers for the security authorities and is warning its coalition partner not to slow down. “Internal security must not be further weakened by Federal Justice Minister Buschmann,” said the vice-chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, Dirk Wiese, to the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post”. The FDP must “finally work constructively to give the security authorities in Germany the necessary powers.”
He was alluding to the dispute over data retention: For data protection reasons, the FDP refuses to store telecommunications data without cause and only wants to make this possible if there is a specific reason – SPD Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is in favor of providers storing such data, so to speak keep it in stock for court-approved retrieval.
With a view to countering terrorism, Wiese said: “We cannot continue to rely only on the voluntary storage behavior of private companies or on information from foreign services. The FDP also has a great responsibility here.” A domestic political turnaround is also necessary with a view to combating sexual violence against children and other cases of serious crime.
We are not allowed to save on internal security
At the same time, in the magazine “Stern” several SPD politicians called for better equipment for the security authorities, also in view of the most recent espionage cases. “Germany is in the crosshairs of Eastern spy activity,” explained the domestic policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, Sebastian Hartmann. The SPD domestic politician Carmen Wegge warned: “It is clear to me that we cannot save on internal security.”
The SPD budget politician Andreas Schwarz agreed with her: “”Saving here would mean putting the ax on people’s safety,” he said in the “Stern.” The appeal was obviously directed at FDP Finance Minister Christian Lindner. Budget negotiations are coming soon for the 2025 budget. The FDP and Lindner are putting the brakes on spending, also in order to comply with the debt brake, which the SPD wants to reform and loosen.