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Hamburg Senate Approves Bill for Routine Intelligence Checks on New Public Employees

Parliament now must set the scope of vetting, applicant protections, privacy safeguards.

Overview

  • The draft requires the Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz to be queried before most public‑sector hires, with additional checks permitted at later career stages.
  • The measure extends screening beyond security‑sensitive roles to cover essentially the entire public service in Hamburg.
  • The stated goal is to block extremist infiltration of state institutions, with right‑wing extremists and Islamists cited as primary risks.
  • The bill moves to the Hamburgische Bürgerschaft for debate on exclusion thresholds, hearing rights, and data handling, with a start targeted for January 1, 2026.
  • Teacher and public‑sector unions, including GEW Hamburg and ver.di, formed the 'Hamburger Bündnis gegen Berufsverbote' to oppose the plan as a return to Berufsverbote and a driver of mistrust.