The German conservatives and social democrats have proposed important reforms of the Constitution to significantly increase the investment in defense due to the threat that the US moves away from their commitments to their allies, and in infrastructure within the framework of the preliminary conversations to form a coalition government.
“In view of the increasing threat situation, we are aware that Europe and, together with Europe, the Federal Republic of Germany must now make great efforts to quickly strengthen the defense capabilities of our country and the European continent,” said the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, probable future chancellor after the general elections of last February 23.
Merz, whose party and the Sister Social Cristiana (CSU) Bávara won the elections to the lower house, stressed that the necessary decisions, especially in regard to the federal budget, “cannot be postponed anymore” in the light of “the latest decisions of the US government” of Donald Trump.
“At all costs”
“I mean this very clearly: in view of the threats to our freedom and peace in our continent, the motto ‘costs what it costs,” he emphasized. ”
Merz explained that the parliamentary groups CDU/CSU and SPD will present next week in the lower house a motion to modify the fundamental law in such a way that the necessary defense expenses with charge to the federal budget that exceed an amount equivalent to 1% of the GDP are exempt from the restrictions of the debt brake, which limits to 0.35% of the annual GDP the indebtedness of the State.
The co -chair of the SPD and leader of the parliamentary group of the Social Democrats, Lars Klingbeil, stressed “the challenge that we invest in a strong and safe Europe”, especially after the encounter last Friday in the Oval Office between Trump and the Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenski.
The leader of the CSU, Markus Söder, stressed that on Tuesday the three games send “a signal to friends and enemies that Germany is here, Germany does not retire, but will do everything necessary to protect and strengthen the country and to advance to Europe.” In this way, the Armed Forces will be provided “everything you need” to become a powerful army, he said.
Merz said that this Wednesday there will be a conversation with the Foreign Minister, Olaf Scholz, to see if they can immediately release between 3,000 and 3.5 billion euros for Ukraine as part of the so -called unplanned budgetary expenses.
A multimillionaire background for infrastructure
Both Klingbeil and Merz pointed out that the additional expense in defense should not occur at the expense of investment in the economy, which can chain their third year of recession, and it is evident that the necessary funds for this cannot be financed solely with the current government budgets, federated states and municipalities.
“That is why we want to create an immediate program financed with credits, a special fund of 500,000 million euros for the next 10 years, charged to which these necessary investments will be made,” said Merz. “We assume that this special fund will also mobilize large -scale private investments,” he added.
Klingbeil explained that from that fund, which will invest in roads, bridges, railways, digitalization, energy networks, schools and nurseries, 100,000 million will be for federated states.
For this special fund, a modification of the Constitution will also be proposed to the lower house.
Finally, conservatives and social democrats want to give federated states the option to balance income and expenses in their budgets if loan income does not exceed 0.35% of nominal GDP. This requires a realization of the fundamental law in article 115, that the parliamentary groups of the CDU/CSU and the SPD will also present to the lower house next week.
Merz also said that more scope decisions will be needed to improve the competitiveness of the German economy, modify the so -called citizenship income, improve internal security and “significantly” limit irregular immigration, which “remains too high.”
To this end, he stressed, the conservatives and social democrats, who began last Thursday their preliminary conversations to try to form a coalition of government, will continue the dialogue this Thursday and Friday, and will strive to “conclude them quickly.”
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