Friedrich Merz, Germany’s most probable next chancellor, has stated that the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) and his centre-right CDU/CSU will suggest hundreds of billions of dollars in more defence and economic investment, reports RTE.
During a press conference, Mr. Merz stated that the two parties would “in the next week” present proposals to parliament for “a special fund in the size of €500 billion for the next 10 years” for economic development and to exempt additional defence spending from Germany’s “debt brake” provided by the constitution.
With the present size of Germany’s economy, the idea would mean that the amount of debt taken out for defence could not exceed €45 billion, or 1% of GDP, reports RTE.
Following their victory in last month’s general elections, the CDU/CSU promptly engaged the SPD in talks to create a coalition government.
The Trump administration’s conflict with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the suspension of US military assistance to Ukraine have heightened the urgency of the negotiations, reports RTE.
Additionally, Mr. Merz stated his desire to expedite the approval of a €3 billion aid package for Ukraine that has been pending for weeks.
“To talk about the urgent help needed for Ukraine, around €3bn or €3.5bn, which… can be approved now as off-budget expenditure,” Mr. Merz stated when he met departing Chancellor Olaf Scholz tomorrow, reports RTE.
Conservatives in Germany have likewise maintained that mandatory military service should be reinstated as soon as possible.
According to Mr. Merz, Europe will need to manage its own security more effectively in the Trump administration, reports RTE.
According to Florian Hahn, the centre-right alliance’s defence policy spokesperson, Germany’s “suspension of conscription no longer fits the current threat situation,” Bild daily said.
“In 2025,” Mr. Hahn informed the daily, “the first conscripts will have to walk through the barracks gates,” reports RTE.
“We cannot stand by and watch as the world around us becomes more unsafe,” reports RTE.
Since Mr. Trump has been siding more and more with Russia over Ukraine, against the Western consensus of recent years, concerns about NATO’s future strength have increased throughout Europe.
Mr. Merz has promised to buck several of the policies of former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel, including her 2011 decision to halt mandatory military service and her stance on immigration.
Mr. Merz said last week that he would support the reinstatement of a mandatory year during which youth might engage in community service or military duty, reports RTE.
“We need a much higher personnel strength in the Bundeswehr (armed forces),” he stated, reports RTE.
“I am not committing myself to any numbers now, but we cannot manage with the current number and we also need a much stronger reserve,” reports RTE.
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