Defense: Union faction open to new special fund for the Bundeswehr

According to its budget policy spokesman Christian Haase, the Union faction is open to the introduction of a new special fund for the Bundeswehr or to a significant increase in the existing 100 billion pot in the Basic Law. "In the Union faction there is fundamental willingness for a new or significantly higher special fund for the Bundeswehr," Haase told the Rheinische Post .

With the new US administration, the security policy coordinates for Germany and Europe have changed completely, said Haase. "We need to be able to defend ourselves more quickly. That's why it might make sense to approve the special fund in the short term with the two-thirds majority of the old Bundestag." To do this, an agreement would have to be reached with the SPD, FDP and Greens in the near future. "We would thereby fulfill exactly what SPD Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has always demanded," said the budget expert.

However, Haase opposed attaching conditions such as a reform of the debt brake . "We do not want to talk about a reform of the debt brake at the moment. Because we first need a financial review." This will then determine the financial framework for the next few years.

SPD budget politician Andreas Schwarz had previously advocated a reform of the debt brake in the debate about securing significantly higher defense spending. Placing the costs in the budget would be much more transparent than in another special fund for the Bundeswehr , said Schwarz. He is his party's expert on the defense budget.

However, the CDU chairman and possible new Chancellor Friedrich Merz had rejected a reform of the debt brake before the newly elected Bundestag had even convened. "It is out of the question that we will reform the debt brake in the near future," he said before a meeting of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.

There is currently a debate about mobilizing billions for defense spending with the old Bundestag, i.e. before the new Bundestag is formed. This would be possible either through a reform of the debt brake or through the creation of a special fund outside the debt rule. However, this would require a two-thirds majority, which the CDU/CSU, SPD and Greens no longer have in the new Bundestag. There, the AfD and the Left could block a change to the Basic Law.