BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The German government wants to respond to the challenges of an increasingly unstable world order with a "policy of integrated security." The new National Security Strategy is the compass for this, according to a foreword by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to the concept approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday. "Its goal is clear: to maintain the security of our citizens and to make our contribution to the security of Europe."

According to the security strategy, the goal is for all means and instruments to work together and mesh in order to strengthen Germany's security against external threats. To this end, all relevant policy areas and actors are to be involved.

This ranges from national and alliance defense to the protection of technical infrastructures and cyber and space security to raw material, energy and food security. The security strategy also mentions civil defense and population protection, development policy, protection against foreign influence and espionage, and dealing with the climate crisis and pandemics. Federal, state and local governments, business, science, civil society and citizens are to be involved.

"The primary task of German security policy is to ensure that we can continue to live in peace, freedom and security in our country at the heart of Europe," the paper states. To this end, Germany is unwaveringly committed to NATO and the EU and is strengthening the Bundeswehr by investing an average of two percent of economic output in defense over many years. The free democratic basic order is to be defended against illegitimate influence, and dependence on raw materials and energy is to be reduced by diversifying supply relationships.

The 40-page paper was discussed for months. In the morning, the strategy was approved by the cabinet and then presented by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and four of his cabinet members at the Federal Press Conference. It does not envisage any structural reform of decision-making processes. The traffic light coalition has decided against forming a long-discussed National Security Council to coordinate government action.

Originally, the security strategy was to have been presented in February at the Munich Security Conference, where hundreds of government representatives, experts and journalists from around the world gather every year. This date would have attracted a great deal of international attention around the traffic light paper. However, the chancellor and his foreign minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), the two main players in the negotiation process, were unable to reach an agreement that quickly./sk/DP/mis