German federal intelligence service faces severe personnel shortages

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The BND employs around 6,500 staff members, including nearly 800 active-duty soldiers seconded from the army, which is also experiencing staffing shortages.

Exterior view of the BND building, host of the Federal Intelligence Service, BND, in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. (AP)

The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is grappling with a critical shortage of personnel, according to reports from Bild newspaper.

The agency currently has over 700 unfilled vacancies, with efforts to find suitable candidates proving challenging.

The BND employs around 6,500 staff members, including nearly 800 active-duty soldiers seconded from the army, which is also experiencing staffing shortages.

High rates of sick leave have further exacerbated the problem.

In March, the BND launched a recruitment campaign that attracted 10,000 applications. However, none of the candidates met the agency’s stringent requirements.

The application process is lengthy and costly, taking about 13 months and costing taxpayers more than 100,000 euros ($108,875) per applicant.

Approximately 40% of candidates fail the necessary security checks, further complicating the recruitment process.

In 2023, the agency made headlines after a former German intelligence worker, identified as a member of the BND, has been charged with treason for allegedly spying on behalf of Russia.

The suspect, named David S., who was employed by the BND until early 2022, was accused of passing sensitive information to Russian intelligence services, according to Politico.

In April this year, Germany detained two dual German-Russian nationals in connection with an alleged espionage plot.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the individuals are suspected of spying for Russia, and their arrest is said to follow a recent trend of increased scrutiny on foreign intelligence activities in Germany.