Robert Habeck reprimands Olaf Scholz and demands loans for defense budgets

The Green candidate for Chancellor Robert Habeck sharply rejected Olaf Scholz’s criticism of his defense plans and accused the Chancellor of having cut corners on the Bundeswehr during the grand coalition. “The Bundeswehr was run down under the grand coalition, always according to the motto, it doesn’t matter,” Habeck told the star. In doing so, Habeck is also indirectly attacking Olaf Scholz, who, as finance minister in the grand coalition, played a key role in the federal budget.

The special fund with which the traffic light began to “work against the disaster” will no longer be available the year after next. “We must do more to protect the peace and security of this country in the next few years,” demanded Habeck.

Previously, Chancellor Olaf Scholz star-Interview described the Green politician’s plan to increase defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) as “half-baked”. According to Scholz, the budget would almost double from almost 80 billion euros to 140 billion euros, but Habeck does not say “what the money will be spent on and where it will come from.” Scholz criticized: “Who pays the bill? The citizens?”

The Green candidate now emphasized that he wanted to finance the massive defense spending he was planning through new billion-dollar loans: “It is clear that we cannot simply save money somewhere, but have to take out loans for security here,” said Habeck. “The restrictive debt brake must not decide how safe Germany is.” This question is primarily aimed at the Union. “We must secure peace and prevent further war,” appealed Habeck.

“Germany must be able to defend itself – in all areas, in cybersecurity, the protection of the digital infrastructure, civil protection,” demanded the Economics Minister. The threat to Germany and Europe is palpable. The war in Ukraine and the growing threat of hybrid warfare against Germany and its allies made it necessary for Germany and the EU to “take greater responsibility for our security.” Habeck: “Anything else would be naive given the USA’s positioning.”

The debate is likely to gain further momentum in Germany. On Tuesday in Mar-a-Lago, the incoming US President Donald Trump called for defense spending of five percent of GDP from the NATO countries. That would be an annual expenditure of around 200 billion euros for Germany.