Archive: https://archive.is/20250304200800/https://www.ft.com/content/316ef73e-cf54-4d38-af5b-7166c684a13a
A provision would exempt defence spending above 1 per cent of GDP from the debt brake rules, allowing Germany to boost spending on its armed forces by an unlimited amount at a time when Europe faces the prospect of losing US guarantees that have underpinned its security since Donald Trump began his second presidential term.
The future coalition partners will introduce another constitutional amendment to set up a €500bn fund for infrastructure, which would run over 10 years. They are also planning to loosen debt rules for states.
People here don’t complain about the military spending. People complain about the absolute dishonesty of Merz who campaigned on no new debt spending whatsoever right until election day. Everybody who watched a bit more closely than Merz’ voters knew this was a complete lie. Multiple economic institutes as well as his Social Democratic/Greens/Left Party rivals called out his tactics as a lie before the election.
And there’s a second bit, which is that CxU has a bit of a faible for lining their own pockets. Merz with his chemical industry connections and his lack of any morality whatsoever is promising to bring that out in full force where Merkel banished that dynamic down to row 2 and below.