Overview
- The council convened at the Chancellery to open deliberations on an action plan against hybrid threats such as drones, cyberattacks and sabotage.
- Chaired by Friedrich Merz, the body includes nine standing federal members with security agency chiefs, the Bundeswehr’s inspector general and external experts invited as needed.
- Proceedings and decisions are classified unless the government opts for an exception, according to the council’s rules and the government spokesman.
- The remit is to deliver integrated security policy across domestic, foreign, economic and digital domains, prepare pre-decisions and, within legal limits, take final decisions, including taking over arms‑export approvals as it replaces the Bundessicherheitsrat on January 1, 2026.
- A 13‑person support unit in the Chancellery led by Jacob Schrot is building an integrated situation picture and strategic foresight capability, with critics questioning whether current staffing is sufficient.