Von der Leyen Suggests Enacting Emergency Clause to Boost Defense Spending

In a private meeting with European leaders on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested triggering an emergency clause to allow nations to boost their defense spending without breaking European Union budget rules.

Rules: EU budget rules allow countries to deviate from their spending plan only “in the event of a severe economic downturn” or in “exceptional circumstances outside the control of government.”

These controls are in place so that EU nations will lower deficits and debts accumulated mainly from the covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine war.

Exemptions: Von der Leyen promised that she would “use the full range that we have of flexibilities in the Stability and Growth Pact to allow for a significant increase in defense spending.”

For extraordinary times, it is possible to have extraordinary measures also in the Stability and Growth Pact. And I think we live in extraordinary times.
—Ursula Von der Leyen

A European official said Von der Leyen suggested exempting defense spending from national budget deficits altogether. But enacting the emergency clause will also give countries more room to increase defense spending under their current spending plans.

Militarization: The late theologian Herbert W. Armstrong warned for decades of a soon-coming militarized union of European nations that would combine its forces to become a major world power. Mr. Armstrong based his forecast on Bible prophecies found in Daniel 2 and 7 and Revelation 13 and 17.

That European military power is rising today, and any efforts Europe makes to increase its defense will bolster that power.

To learn more, read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Europe’s Push Toward a Unified Military.”