The year 2026 will be a particularly significant one for internal security in Germany. Increasing demands on the protection of public spaces, hybrid threats, migration policy control issues and new technological risks call for a strategically integrated response. At the beginning of the year, Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann outlined how the Free State intends to meet these challenges – and once again claimed a pioneering role at the national level.

Public spaces as a focus of security policy

A central focus of Bavaria’s security strategy is on the presence and effectiveness of the police in city centres and transport hubs. Railway stations and urban centres continue to be considered sensitive areas with an increased risk of danger. Bavaria is relying on a bundle of police measures here: increased foot patrols together with the federal police, regular priority and support operations involving closed units, and the targeted use of service dogs to combat drug-related crime in the vicinity of railway stations.

In addition, regulatory instruments are being examined, including cannabis-free zones in particularly affected areas. At the same time, police video surveillance at hotspots is being further expanded. The Free State is currently investing £3.8 million in the modernisation and digitalisation of the video infrastructure. New cameras, the replacement of outdated systems and technological standardisation are intended to strengthen both operational effectiveness and evidence gathering. The interdepartmental working group ‘Bavaria. 360° Security’ is reviewing existing concepts and developing them further on the basis of practical operational experience.

Staff expansion as the foundation of security policy

A central element of Bavaria’s security architecture remains the consistent expansion of personnel capacities. With more than 45,700 positions for all employees, the Bavarian police force has reached an all-time high. Since 2008, a total of 8,700 additional positions have been created – an expansion that is unique in Germany on this scale. At least 1,400 new hires are planned for 2026.

This course is being flanked by the further expansion of the Bavarian Security Guard. The model of voluntary security presence is to grow from the current level of around 1,500 to 2,000 citizens by 2030. The aim is to strengthen visible presence, low-threshold prevention and social responsibility in public spaces.

Migration, border protection and European control

Another focus is on migration policy control. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the number of asylum seekers has more than halved compared to the previous year. Bavaria is committed to continuing this course while further strengthening the border police. A key component is the introduction of the European Entry-Exit System, which is scheduled to go into operation at Memmingen and Nuremberg airports at the end of January. It is intended to improve controls at the EU’s external borders and record irregular migration more effectively.

Civil-military cooperation and new threat situations

Against the backdrop of growing hybrid threats, Bavaria attaches increasing importance to cooperation between the police and the armed forces. Participation in the nationwide GETEX exercise in March 2026 is intended to strengthen joint operational capability in the event of a crisis, practise procedures and deepen mutual understanding. This cooperation is becoming particularly relevant in civil protection and in defending against new threats.

One example of this is the expansion of drone defence. A task force at the Bavarian riot police is working on setting up a drone competence and defence centre. The aim is to combine modern detection and defence technologies with practical operational expertise – in close cooperation with the armed forces, other security authorities and Bavarian technology companies. The initial focus is on Munich, Nuremberg and Memmingen airports.

Civil protection as a structural task

The new State Office for Civil Protection is also intended to create clear leadership and coordination structures for disaster and civil protection. A concrete concept is to be presented by the end of March. At the same time, fire brigades, rescue services and airborne rescue services are being further expanded in order to improve response capabilities in the event of a crisis in the long term.

Comment: Security as a prerequisite for social confidence

With its security policy agenda for 2026, Bavaria is demonstrating that internal security is not achieved through individual measures, but through long-term investment, institutional clarity and the political will to enforce it. The consistent expansion of personnel, technological modernisation and the integration of the police, civil protection and the armed forces set standards that extend beyond the Free State.

This is precisely why this development must not remain isolated. Security is not a regional asset, but a national prerequisite for social stability and economic confidence. If Germany really wants to return to a phase of greater internal calm and capacity to act, comparable efforts are needed nationwide: more personnel, clearer responsibilities, realistic migration control and the courage to openly identify new threats and address them structurally. Bavaria is showing what is possible – now it is up to the federal and state governments to develop a common security policy narrative for the whole country.