The NSR will be a standing body designed to improve long-term security planning, address threats at the intersection of internal, external, economic, and digital security, and streamline decision-making.

It will be chaired by the Chancellor, with key ministers from foreign affairs, interior, justice, economy, defense, development, and digitalization, and will include other government officials, state representatives, and international partners as needed.

The composition of the NSR can vary depending on the issue, involving security agencies, experts, and external stakeholders, with a flexible structure to adapt to different security challenges.

Germany is establishing a new National Security Council (NSR) to enhance crisis management and security policy coordination, replacing the Federal Security Council and Security Cabinet.

A new staff unit with 13 positions has been created within the Chancellery, led by Jacob Schrot, to serve as a central interface among the council, ministries, security agencies, states, and external experts.

The council will meet regularly, led by the Chancellor, with the Deputy Finance Minister, and will conduct strategic foresight, threat assessments, and security exercises to develop integrated security strategies.

Its primary tasks include assessing threats, developing security strategies, and conducting simulations to improve Germany’s resilience against crises, especially in response to threats from Russia and other adversaries.

The NSR aims to foster faster, more decisive responses to security threats, moving away from siloed approaches, and emphasizing proactive, society-wide resilience.

This initiative is motivated by concerns that existing structures from the 1960s are no longer sufficient, especially after Germany’s experience with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and vulnerabilities in energy and security.

The creation of the NSR was a key pledge of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reflecting a political shift to strengthen Germany’s security focus and coordination, overcoming previous disagreements and delays.

The NSR is designed to be an integrated, proactive body that involves early stakeholder engagement, aims to prevent misinformation, and improves transparency in security decision-making.

Membership includes the Chancellor, nine cabinet ministers, security and intelligence officials, representatives from Germany’s federal states, and international partners like NATO and the EU, with flexible inclusion of experts.