National Council backs sweeping powers for intelligence service

The National Council has voted to widely expand the powers of Switzerland's Federal Intelligence Service, citing growing terrorist, cyber and foreign-interference threats.

Members approved the revised intelligence law on Wednesday by 111 votes to 40 with 21 abstentions. 

The service will be allowed to monitor foreign state-influence operations, collect data from financial intermediaries, fit tracking devices on vehicles under observation and build AI-driven personality profiles of suspected dangerous individuals.

Left-wing MPs warned of a "worrying step towards a surveillance state" and recalled that some monitoring had previously been ruled unconstitutional by the Federal Administrative Court.

The reform now goes to the Council of States.

 

 

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