Richard Parks German Chancellor Olaf Scholz opposes US demands to increase NATO contributions, sticking to the existing two percent target.
Scholz Dismisses Five Percent Defence Budget Proposal
During a campaign event in Bielefeld, Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed US President-elect Donald Trump’s push for NATO members to raise defence spending to five percent of GDP. Scholz firmly rejected the proposal, calling it financially unfeasible for Germany.
“Five percent would exceed €200 billion annually, nearly half our federal budget,” Scholz said. He added that such a move would require either massive tax increases or drastic cuts to critical services. The chancellor reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to the two percent target, insisting it was a sustainable balance.
Opposition Pushes for Stronger Defence Measures
Germany’s opposition, led by CDU candidate Friedrich Merz, supports higher defence spending but refrains from endorsing a specific percentage. “The exact figure is less important than ensuring our ability to defend ourselves,” Merz said in a recent interview.
Although the CDU leads in polls, their defence spending stance contrasts with the preferences of many German voters, potentially posing a challenge for their campaign.
Election Campaigns Heat Up Amid Political Shifts
Scholz launched his election campaign in Bielefeld, planning over 30 public events before the February 23 election. The event faced a brief disruption as protesters criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, but security quickly intervened.
The CDU leads in polls with 30 percent, followed by the far-right AfD at 20 percent under Alice Weidel. However, Weidel’s chances of forming a government remain slim, as other parties refuse to cooperate with the AfD.
The SPD trails at 14-17 percent after the collapse of Scholz’s coalition government in November. The breakup followed the dismissal of FDP leader Christian Lindner, whom Scholz accused of repeatedly breaching trust.
As the elections approach, defence spending and coalition-building dominate Germany’s political discourse.