Merz Calls for Increased Defense Spending Amid Rapid Global Developments
Germany must take urgent steps to strengthen its defense capabilities in response to rapidly changing global political dynamics, opposition leader Friedrich Merz said on Monday.
“The political developments in Europe and the world are evolving faster than we anticipated just a week ago,” Merz stated. “Germany and Europe must now undertake extraordinary efforts to ensure our defense capabilities.”
To achieve this, Merz proposed exempting defense expenditures exceeding 1 percent of Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the country’s constitutional debt brake. The current rule restricts the structural budget deficit to 0.35 percent of GDP, except in cases of emergency.
Merz announced the proposal alongside leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Germany’s ruling party, with whom his conservative bloc is currently negotiating a potential governing coalition.
Additionally, both conservative and SPD leaders introduced a separate €500 billion special fund to support infrastructure projects outside normal budget constraints over the next decade. The move appears designed to appeal to left-leaning lawmakers who might otherwise resist adjusting debt rules exclusively for defense purposes.
This article is being updated.













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