Germany’s Green Party has threatened to block plans proposed by Friedrich Merz, the likely incoming chancellor, to invest hundreds of billions of euros in defence and infrastructure. Merz, whose conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) emerged as the largest party in February’s legislative elections, aims to relax Germany’s strict “debt brake” to allow greater spending on defence and security. His proposal comes amid prolonged economic stagnation and growing unease over Europe’s security following U.S. President Donald Trump’s overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The proposed constitutional changes, which would ease borrowing limits for defence and establish a €500 billion ($542 billion) infrastructure fund, were described as historic when unveiled last week. However, Franziska Brantner, co-leader of the Green Party, stated on Monday, “We will not let this happen, and we will not let Friedrich Merz and Lars Klingbeil [of the Social Democratic Party] exploit a difficult situation in European security.” She added, “This serves neither the country nor our interests in Europe.”
Germany’s “debt brake,” a cornerstone of its fiscal policy since its introduction by former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2009, limits new borrowing to 0.35% of GDP. Merz’s proposal would exempt military spending from this rule, allowing unlimited funds for “necessary defence spending.” It would also create a 10-year infrastructure fund and relax spending rules for federal states and local governments.
To enact these constitutional changes, Merz requires a two-thirds majority in the current parliament, which necessitates the Greens’ support. However, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and left-wing Die Linke set to hold more than a third of the seats in the next parliament, which convenes at the end of the month, Merz is racing to push through the changes. On Monday, the AfD filed urgent legal motions challenging Merz’s plan to have the current parliament consider the spending package.
While the Greens support reforming Germany’s strict spending limits, Katharina Droege, the party’s leader in the Bundestag, criticised Merz’s proposal, accusing him and the SPD of creating a “treasure chest” to fund political priorities, including tax cuts. She said, “Whoever wants our approval for more investment must also show that it is really about more investment in climate protection and the economy.”
Felix Banaszak, another Green Party co-chair, stated that the party is preparing its own legislative motion on security and defence and is open to serious discussions on the topic. However, he described the CDU and SPD’s efforts to secure the Greens’ support as “blackmail,” emphasising the need for Merz to consult other parties in parliament.
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil responded to the Greens’ concerns, stating, “I take their concerns about changing the constitution very seriously and promise to continue discussions to convince them.” Finance Minister Joerg Kukies acknowledged the Greens’ legitimate points and expressed hope for further talks to secure their support.
The first debate on Merz’s proposal took place on Thursday, with a vote on the constitutional amendments scheduled for March 18. The CDU and SPD, currently negotiating to form a government, need the Greens’ support to achieve the two-thirds majority required for constitutional revisions. Droege has suggested the CDU reach out to Die Linke, which has indicated a willingness to reform spending rules but remains sceptical of increased defence spending.
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