European Spies Rank MI6 Their Most Powerful Rival

A peer review of European espionage has scored the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service 82 points higher than its nearest competitor, ranking MI6 as the continent’s most powerful foreign intelligence agency according to Guardian World.

The survey, compiled by French magazine L'Express after three months of interviews with around 100 professionals, asked 60 spies from 25 countries to rank their counterparts.

The result is less a bureaucratic trophy and more a stark validation of MI6's operational identity. The 251-point score is not just a number. It is a measure of how a service described as "extraordinary" by a former CIA station chief, and noted for having "a taste for dirty tricks," is viewed by the only people qualified to judge: its peers, rivals, and occasional partners.

Decoding the Spymaster’s Scorecard: Talent, Patience, and Geopolitical Focus

The ranking was a peer assessment, akin to "the Ballon d’Or football award or the Eurovision Song Contest," as L'Express described its format. Seventeen serving or former heads of services voted, alongside other professionals and representatives from the CIA and Israel's Mossad.

MI6's lead was decisive, with the French DGSE scoring 169 points, the Dutch services at 97, and Ukraine's rapidly expanding apparatus at 77. Slovakia’s service was rated worst.

The survey specifically commended MI6 for "expertise in recruiting high-level informants and penetrating the ruling elites in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey."

This is the core of the win. While other services may excel in counter-terrorism (France's DGSE) or punch above their weight in cyber operations (the Dutch), the peers voted for human intelligence (HUMINT). They valued MI6's patience, its networks, and its ability to place agents where it counts: inside the power structures of four major geopolitical adversaries.

“The British have the ability to play the long game, investing in sources over a 10-year horizon, somewhat like the Russians. And they have a taste for dirty tricks,” a former head of the French DGSE told the magazine.

XOOMAR analysis: The focus on penetrating elites in Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey reveals a clear strategic axis. It shows MI6 prioritizing traditional state-based adversaries over non-state actors, a post-9/11 and post-Brexit recalibration aimed at securing the UK’s influence in a multipolar world.

The European Hierarchy: A Study in Comparative Advantage

The ranking reveals a clear European intelligence hierarchy, defined by distinct national strengths.

France's DGSE was noted as "the only service in continental Europe with near-global reach," combining technical collection with human sources and a potent Action Division.

The Netherlands' strong third-place finish reflects a reputation for disproportionate impact, like its role in operations against Iran's nuclear program and Russian hackers.

Ukraine's fourth place, a surprise to some, acknowledges the rapid, war-forged evolution of its capabilities, demonstrating the value placed on pure operational grit.

The ‘Dirty Tricks’ Brand and the Weight of History

The phrase "a taste for dirty tricks" is not a critique in this context. It is a peer review of tradecraft. It speaks to a willingness for deniable political influencing, covert action, and the manipulation of events. This operational culture has deep roots, from WWII-era sabotage to Cold War-era active measures.

The modern validation comes from tangible results. The review highlights that Britain was the first to warn Ukraine of Russia's 2022 invasion.

“The British are in the lead on the Ukrainian file. We are right behind them,” said Ralph Goff, a former CIA chief of operations for Europe and Eurasia.

This early warning, likely derived from those prized human sources in Russian elite circles, cemented MI6's credibility among Western allies. It demonstrated that the patient, decade-long cultivation of agents pays real-world strategic dividends, a point we previously analyzed in our report on the consequences of Ukraine's evolving air defence shortages.

The View from Washington, Moscow, and Beijing

This ranking is not just a European internal matter.

• For the CIA and the 'Five Eyes': It reinforces the UK as the indispensable European partner. The US intelligence apparatus, often reliant on vast technical collection, values MI6's distinct HUMINT capabilities, as the quotes from former CIA officials make clear. This ranking is a powerful endorsement of that partnership model.

• For the Target States (Russia, China, Iran, Turkey): The public naming of their ruling elites as MI6's primary hunting ground is a direct challenge. It serves as both a boast and a warning. The predictable, though unstated, consequence will be intensified counter-espionage and likely internal purges within those nations' power structures, an effort already likely in motion.

What It Means: Leverage, Scrutiny, and a Shifting Battlefield

For the UK, this ranking confers significant, if intangible, power.

For UK Foreign Policy: In a post-Brexit landscape where traditional diplomatic heft is questioned, an unmatched intelligence service provides a unique form of leverage. It makes Britain a "must-call" ally for any nation facing threats from the four named states. However, it also raises expectations and increases the political cost of any intelligence failure.

For the Global Tech and Finance Sector: Executives and engineers from Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey working at UK-based or UK-linked firms in sensitive sectors (fintech, AI, defence) will face intensified, if discreet, scrutiny. This could complicate talent acquisition and create complex compliance landscapes for multinationals.

For the Future of Espionage: The ranking validates human-centric intelligence in an era obsessed with cyber and AI. However, it also highlights a vulnerability. MI6's power is built on access to people, which is inherently fragile. The next major test will be whether its methods can adapt to a world where AI-driven data analysis and influence operations are becoming dominant. For other European services, the path to catching up might not be to copy MI6, but to surpass it in these new domains.

The Bottom Line

• The ranking validates MI6's operational supremacy and intelligence-gathering effectiveness against key adversaries like Russia and China.
• It highlights the critical value of traditional human intelligence (HUMINT) in an era increasingly focused on cyber and technological espionage.
• The results can influence international intelligence partnerships and strategic trust among European and global allies.