The German domestic secret service is getting serious about the issue of digital sovereignty: The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has acquired new software for analyzing large amounts of data. According to information from WDR, NDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung, the choice fell not on the controversial US market leader Palantir, which has been pushing massively into the German security market for years. Rather, the French company ChapsVision was awarded the contract.
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According to the reports, the Bonn authority wants to specifically send a signal against the technological dependence on US providers, which many security authorities are increasingly concerned about. BfV President Sinan Selen indicated this course at an internal conference in Berlin at the end of 2025. At the time, he emphasized that it was crucial for security to make the right geostrategic decisions and sharpen the European focus. It is important to strengthen sovereignty and offer alternatives instead of creating long-term dependencies.
With the purchase of the product from ChapsVision, which belongs to the tech entrepreneur Olivier Dellenbach, the office is now putting this announcement into practice.
French AI instead of US import
The selected software solution is called ArgonOS and works with artificial intelligence (AI). She specializes in combing through huge amounts of data, relating information from different databases and making complex networks visible.
In addition to classic database analysis, the system also handles research in openly accessible sources, also known as Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). In France, the software is already being used successfully by the domestic secret service DGSI. For the German market, ChapsVision cooperates with the IT service provider Rola Security Solutions, which is also integrated into the Police Information and Analysis Association (PIAV).
According to research, sources from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution say that the proof of concept phase has already been successfully completed. The software is considered ready for use and is intended to provide valuable services, especially in the fight against terrorism and counterintelligence. However, the system is currently being used within a strictly limited legal framework, as the full utilization of the analysis functions also depends on the planned reform of intelligence law. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has been working on an amendment for some time that will give the BfV expanded powers in the use of AI and facial recognition.
Domestic political dispute
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The BfV’s decision creates political fuel: It exposes the rift within the federal government on the Palantir issue. The security authorities themselves and large parts of the black-red coalition are pushing for European solutions. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) is keeping the door open for the US provider. Criticism here comes primarily from the Greens in the Bundestag. Parliamentary group vice-president Konstantin von Notz considers it naïve in terms of security policy to become dependent on a company like Palantir: its founder Peter Thiel was noticed by his statements critical of democracy and his proximity to the Trump administration.
Resistance to US software is also growing within the security architecture. In addition to the BfV, the Federal Criminal Police Office and parts of the Bundeswehr have recently expressed skepticism towards Palantir. They worry that sensitive data will leak and control over critical infrastructure will be lost. Bavaria and Hesse continue to rely on Palantir. There are signs of a change in thinking in other federal states: Baden-Württemberg is openly discussing the exit, and cooperation is also being put to the test in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Supporters of European alternatives such as SPD domestic politician Sebastian Fiedler see the BfV’s decision as a milestone for the national security strategy. Powerful analysis tools are essential, but should not endanger digital sovereignty. The successful implementation of the French software at the Office for the Protection of the Constitution could serve as a blueprint and increase the pressure on the BMI to define a clear, Europe-oriented procurement strategy.
(mki)
