In Germany, deputies are divided on the conditions of the modernization plan of 100 billion euros of the Bundeswehr.
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A sacred union fragrance. Wednesday, April 27, the conservative opposition (CDU -CSU) and the three components of the Coalition “Fire Tricolore” by Chancellor Olaf Scholz – Social Democrats (SPD), Ecologists and Liberals (FDP) – agreed on A common resolution calling for lurking weapons to Ukraine.
The adoption of such a text by the Bundestag, scheduled for Thursday, would have been unimaginable a few days ago. It was made possible by the government’s decision, announced on Tuesday, to provide anti -aircraft tanks to the Ukrainian army. A nice political shot for Olaf Scholz, who, by accessing a common demand for several heavyweights in his majority and of the Conservatives, has resources after turbulent weeks.
The fact remains that this transpartisan union is fragile. This is evidenced by the debate that took place at the Bundestag on Wednesday, on the special modernization of the Bundeswehr. Two months after the promise made by Olaf Scholz to devote 100 billion euros to the modernization of the army, a commitment announced three days after the start of the war in Ukraine and supposed to act the entry of Germany in a ” New era “was the first time that deputies have entered the heart of the matter. However, the observation is essential: the time of an agreement is still far away.
the auctions of the Conservatives
To sanctuarize this plan of 100 billion euros over five years, Olaf Scholz wishes to include it in the fundamental law. However, to revise it, it takes a majority of two thirds. In other words, the support of the CDU-CSU. And this is where things get complicated.
For the new strong man of the right, Friedrich Merz, the temptation is great, in fact, to raise the auctions to monetize his support for the Chancellor. On Wednesday, the CDU-CSU did not fail to recall its conditions: no budget sleight of hand to finance this plan by debt, the guarantee that all the money will be used for the equipment of the Bundeswehr , the creation of a special plan for monitoring the plan, a registration in the fundamental law of the objective set by NATO to its members to devote 2 % of their GDP to their defense budget.
In the SPD, but also among the Greens, some would prefer that this envelope is not argued towards the rearmament of the Bundeswehr alone, but can be allocated to other security expenses. As for the objective of 2 %, it is far from being unanimous.
Wednesday, many questions remained unanswered about how the government intends to finance this plan precisely. This will be the subject of the next debate, scheduled for May 20, at the Bundestag. Then remain the stage of the Bundesrat, the Chamber representing the Länder, whose support is also necessary to register the special plan in the Basic Law.