Swiss National Council Boosts Intelligence Agency's Powers

Switzerland's National Council has overwhelmingly approved a significant revision to the Intelligence Service Act, granting the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) expanded surveillance powers. The vote, which passed with 111 in favor, 40 against, and 21 abstentions, aims to equip the agency with enhanced capabilities to address contemporary security threats.

The reforms are designed to bolster the FIS's capacity to monitor violent extremism, increase its access to financial data, and broaden its mandate across the entire cyberspace. This move comes amidst concerns over disinformation campaigns, rising political violence, radicalization, and foreign interference, particularly in the context of global events like the war in Ukraine.

Federal Councillor Martin Pfister, head of the Department of Defence, emphasized the necessity of updating the law, which was enacted in 2017. He argued that the security environment in 2026 is vastly different, marked by hybrid warfare and increased threats. "This law is only 10 years old, but it was designed in a different world," Pfister stated during the debate, highlighting the growing challenges Switzerland faces.

The expansion of surveillance powers, even decades after the "fiche scandal" where hundreds of thousands of Swiss citizens were spied upon, remains a sensitive issue. However, the government's push for these changes underscores a perceived need to adapt intelligence gathering methods to the complexities of the modern geopolitical and digital landscape.

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This law is only 10 years old, but it was designed in a different world.