Key facts
- MI6 has been ranked as the most powerful foreign intelligence service in Europe.
- The British intelligence agency scored 251 points in a peer review.
- France's General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) finished second with 169 points.
- The review involved 60 professionals from 25 countries.
- MI6 was commended for its expertise in recruiting high-level informants and penetrating ruling elites in Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey.
MI6 has been ranked as the most powerful foreign intelligence service in Europe, according to a peer review conducted by French magazine L’Express. The British intelligence agency scored 251 points, surpassing France’s General Directorate for External Security (DGSE), which received 169 points. The review involved 60 professionals from 25 countries who rated their counterparts in Western-allied nations.
MI6 was commended for its expertise in recruiting high-level informants and penetrating the ruling elites in Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey. France's DGSE was recognized for its global reach and operational capability, particularly in counter-terrorism, with a reputation for clandestine operations. The Netherlands, Ukraine, and Germany rounded out the top five, while Slovakia's service was rated the lowest.
Former CIA officials lauded the UK's intelligence capabilities. Ralph Goff noted Britain's lead on the "Ukrainian file," with the CIA close behind. Robert Gorelick stated that the UK possesses "by far the strongest secret services in Europe," calling MI6 "extraordinary." A former head of the DGSE highlighted MI6's ability to "play the long game" and their "taste for dirty tricks."