Germany to Rewrite Constitution to Remove Defense Spending Limits

Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz announced Tuesday evening that Germany’s parliament would vote to amend its constitution to exempt defense and infrastructure from spending limits.

‘Whatever it takes’: Merz is proposing that defense spending above 1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product be exempt from the constitutional limits on government borrowing. This would allow Germany to rack up an unlimited amount of debt to fund its military.

“Germany and Europe must quickly strengthen their defense capabilities,” Merz said during a press conference. “In view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent, our defense must now apply ‘Whatever it takes.’”

€500 billion fund: Merz also announced plans for a €500 billion special fund to finance infrastructure projects that will go toward boosting defense.

The additional spending on defense can only be coped with if our economy returns to stable growth within a very short period of time. … This requires rapid and sustainable investments in our infrastructure.
—Friedrich Merz

Change of course: Leading up to the February 23 election, Merz and his party, the Christian Democratic Union, opposed any changes to the country’s debt brakes. But after United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a falling out during security negotiations over the Russo-Ukrainian War on Friday, and President Trump suspended U.S. military aid to Ukraine on Monday, Merz is showing a change of course.

The political developments in Europe and the world are evolving faster than we anticipated just a week ago. Germany and Europe must now undertake extraordinary efforts to ensure our defense capabilities.
—Friedrich Merz

What it means: To pass the proposal, Merz will have to convene the outgoing parliament and win support from a two-thirds majority, meaning he would need approval from the Greens party.

The Greens could make their support dependent on more climate-change investments, which has the potential to skyrocket spending.

European countries are heavily dependent on Germany maintaining a low debt to keep the euro stable. The more Germany borrows, the higher European inflation will be.

Bible prophecy: The Trumpet has long warned about the dangers of a militarized Germany. Bible prophecy says this nation will lead a united Europe into becoming a militarized superpower.

To learn more, read Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s article “Germany’s Astonishing Military Rise.”