Chancellor Scholz had announced the turning point, now the plan for the multi-billion dollar Bundeswehr financial injection is on the table. However, the traffic light coalition cannot decide it alone.
The Federal Cabinet has launched the planned multi-billion dollar special fund to strengthen the Bundeswehr. Significant equipment projects are to be financed with 100 billion euros to ensure that the Bundeswehr is fully operational.
However, an amendment to the Basic Law is planned for this, for which the traffic light coalition in the Bundestag needs a two-thirds majority and thus also votes from the opposition. The Union made it clear straight away that it could not support the present wording.
Debt brake is bypassed
According to the draft bill, the Basic Law should state that the special fund serves to “strengthen alliance and defense capabilities”. More precise specifications for the use of the funds are not planned there. The Ministry of Defense is currently working on an economic plan with specific projects, said Finance Minister Christian Lindner.
The FDP boss emphasized that the special fund would do justice to a new reality in view of the Russian war in Ukraine. “We want to create a highly modern and efficient army to protect our freedom.” The necessary projects would therefore not have been financeable within the framework of the credit limit anchored in the Basic Law. Therefore, the loans in the special fund are to be exempted from the debt brake.
Together with the regular defense budget, the expenditure from the special fund should help to meet NATO’s two percent target. “The 100 billion euros are an investment in our freedom,” said Lindner.
Lambrecht: “Efficient and highly modern army”
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) announced that the Bundeswehr would be expanded “into an efficient and ultra-modern army”. “My goal is a fully equipped Bundeswehr that reliably protects us and our alliance partners; an army that makes Germany a strong military cooperation partner in Europe – and thus a European force booster in NATO and the EU,” she explained.
The Ministry of Defense explained that major projects such as the Tornado successor could be financed from the special fund and the personal equipment of the soldiers could also be improved with high priority. In the federal government, however, it is controversial for which projects the money should be used. What is certain is that larger investments with a volume of more than 25 million euros still have to be approved by the budget committee of the Bundestag.
Union: Use of funds must be clearly defined
It still seems uncertain whether the traffic light will get the necessary majority for an amendment to the Basic Law. “The traffic light draft for setting up the Bundeswehr special fund in the Basic Law cannot be approved by the Union,” said the housekeeper Mathias Middelberg (CDU) of the German Press Agency. It must be clear that the 100 billion euros would go entirely to the Bundeswehr and its equipment. “The formulation presented “to strengthen alliance and defense capability” also allows other uses,” said Middelberg. “We do not give a clean bill of health for 100 billion euros in additional spending without the use of funds being clearly defined.”
In addition, the Union faction must also be involved in the specific use of funds. An accompanying committee for the use of the special fund, which decides with a qualified majority, is conceivable.
Source: Stern
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