In a surprising announcement, Gerhard Schindler, the head of the BND foreign intelligence agency, declared he will step down two years earlier than expected, Reuters reports. Schindler was originally going to retire in 2018, but instead will be replaced by Bruno Kahl, an official in the finance ministry, 1 July. Schindler, who held the position since 2012, did not give a reason for his departure. Peter Altmaier, the chief of staff for Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the BND faces big tests in the immediate future. "These include the evolution of its mission in light of shifting security challenges, the upgrading of the agency on the technical and personnel front, organizational and legal consequences arising from the parliamentary investigation into the NSA and the move of large parts of the BND from Pullach to Berlin," Altmaier said.
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