Germany's Dobrindt warns of growing drone threat to the Bundestag
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has warned that the German parliament and other constitutional bodies face an increasing danger of drone attacks, citing a surge in sightings over critical infrastructure in recent months.
Rising sightings trigger alarm
The number of drone sightings over critical infrastructure in Germany has grown in recent months, sharply raising awareness among security agencies. In a letter to Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the protection of constitutional bodies 'takes on particular significance against the backdrop of the abstract threat situation'.
Dem Schutz der Verfassungsorgane kommt vor dem Hintergrund der abstrakten Gefährdungslage eine besondere Bedeutung zu.
A long-standing jurisdictional puzzle
The warning follows a query Klöckner sent in late December 2025, asking to what extent the new drone defence unit of the federal police could be used to secure the parliament. She had earlier described a patchwork of responsibilities: the federal police for drones near the main railway station, the Berlin state police as they approach the Chancellery, the Federal Criminal Police Office directly over the Chancellery, and the Berlin police again over the Bundestag itself.
If a drone is spotted over Berlin Central Station, the federal police is responsible. If it flies towards the Chancellery, the state of Berlin is in charge. If it is discovered directly above the Chancellery, the Federal Criminal Police Office takes over. And if it hovers over the Bundestag, the state of Berlin is once again required to act.
Dobrindt clarifies roles
Dobrindt's reply, dated 12 June 2026, makes clear that the federal police's mobile drone defence unit can only be deployed 'temporarily' by way of administrative assistance. The 'original responsibility' for drone defence at the Bundestag, he stressed, lies with the Berlin state police. The minister also announced plans to step up coordination between the federal police, state police and the Bundestag's own police force, and said the Bundestag police could participate in the meetings of a new joint drone defence centre set up by the federal and state governments.
What is needed is a constant drone defence capability.
Bundestag presses for concrete steps
Unsatisfied with the pace, the Bundestag administration has now turned to Berlin's Interior Senator Iris Spranger. In a letter from Bundestag Director Paul Göttke, the administration urges that 'the necessary joint steps for effective drone defence be implemented as quickly as possible'. Initial talks on practical implementation have already taken place, according to the reports.
It is now of particular importance to implement the necessary joint steps for effective drone defence as quickly as possible.
What happens next
The exchange leaves the Berlin state police as the lead agency for protecting the seat of the federal legislature against drones. While the federal police can offer short-term support, a permanent solution will require rapid coordination between Bonn and Berlin, and likely new procedures for the Bundestag's own security forces.
- Bundestagspräsidentin Klöckner asks about using the federal police's new drone defence unit to protect parliament.
- Innenminister Dobrindt responds: federal unit can assist only temporarily; primary responsibility rests with Berlin's state police.
- Bundestag administration writes to Berlin's Innensenatorin Spranger, urging swift joint steps for effective drone defence.
