The Secrets of the Old Continent: The United Kingdom at the Top with Italy Fifteenth

According to the French Express, the contemporary geopolitical landscape is deeply marked by invisible conflicts, clandestine operations, and incessant exchanges of confidential information that occur daily behind the scenes of official diplomacy. In the European context, characterized by growing tensions on the eastern borders and global hybrid threats, the ability to collect, analyze, and exploit confidential data has risen to the rank of a fundamental pillar of national sovereignty. Having an efficient intelligence service is no longer just an accessory support, but an essential attribute of power, comparable to possessing strategic deterrence capabilities or significant diplomatic weight in international forums.

To shed light on this opaque universe, traditionally resistant to any form of public transparency, a major journalistic investigation mobilized an exceptional panel composed of 60 industry professionals from 25 different nations. Among the jurors are 18 current or recent directors of national intelligence services, as well as prominent figures from global agencies like the CIA and Mossad. The primary objective of this operation was to compile the first comparative ranking of espionage and counter-espionage services in Europe.

The Uncontested Dominance of the United Kingdom and the Continental Podium

The ranking sees the unequivocal triumph of the United Kingdom through the work of the renowned MI6, which takes the top spot with a score of 251 points. International analysts and experts agree in attributing to London's structures an almost unassailable superiority in recruiting high-level human sources within adversary power centers, including Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey. This aptitude has historical roots in the long-term strategies inherited from the so-called “Great Game” of the 19th century.

Right behind the British is France with the DGSE, scoring 169 points thanks to a global approach and a nearly unique projection of power in the continental European landscape. The DGSE stands out for the synergistic combination of technical collection, human intelligence, and formidable autonomous action capabilities, particularly through its famous Action Division. A crucial role is also played by the deep and historical branching of French services in the African continent.

The podium is completed by the Netherlands (AIVD, 3rd place with 97 points), celebrated for the exceptional ratio between reduced investments and elite operational results in the field of cybersecurity; Ukraine (SBU and HUR, 4th place with 77 points), which impressed with extraordinary resilience and tactical innovation; and finally Germany (BND, 5th place with 62 points), appreciated for the meticulousness of its strategic analyses.

Regional Dynamics, Nordic Ecosystems, and National Challenges

Beyond the intelligence superpowers, the European landscape is dotted with highly specialized regional actors. Of particular note is the bloc of Nordic and Baltic countries, known as the “NB8” alliance, whose services share a strong technological focus and a common perception of the threat from Russia. Countries like Sweden and Norway maintain very high standards in maritime and Arctic monitoring.

In contrast, other European nations are penalized by political instability, institutional fragmentation, or infiltration by foreign networks. Within this scenario lies the position of Italy, which ranks 15th overall with 9 points. International experts historically highlight a perception of fragmentation and a limited ingrained culture of information coordination, although the absolute excellence and irreplaceable strategic competence of Italian structures in the North Africa quadrant, particularly in managing the Libyan dossier, are unanimously recognized.

The European picture finally closes with nations facing severe challenges, such as Austria, long marginalized from the most confidential sharing circuits due to the risk of penetration by Russian agents, and Hungary, accused of instrumentalizing the information apparatus.