They are strong enough that they’re able to block increased defense spending together with the AfD
Does Germany have some rules that defence spending requires a 2/3rds supermajority or something? Linke and AfD cannot stop anything on their own if a simple majority is required. The Union and SPD have a slim majority between them, and add the Greens and you’ve got an extremely strong majority.
The only way the conservatives get the funding for increased arms manufacturing is by disabling/changing something about the debt ceiling.
Debt ceiling is in the basic law (constitution), which requires a 2/3 majority to be altered.
Linke are against the debt ceiling in general, but not if it’s only disabled for military spending while still preventing investments in public infrastructure. I think with a bit of diplomacy and concessions in the wording, Linke can be persuaded here.
Edit: Or Merz can just say he doesn’t want to change anything about the debt brake, OK. Saves him from negotiating anything I guess. Maybe the billions he needs will just fall out of the sky then.
Does Germany have some rules that defence spending requires a 2/3rds supermajority or something? Linke and AfD cannot stop anything on their own if a simple majority is required. The Union and SPD have a slim majority between them, and add the Greens and you’ve got an extremely strong majority.
The only way the conservatives get the funding for increased arms manufacturing is by disabling/changing something about the debt ceiling.
Debt ceiling is in the basic law (constitution), which requires a 2/3 majority to be altered.
Linke are against the debt ceiling in general, but not if it’s only disabled for military spending while still preventing investments in public infrastructure. I think with a bit of diplomacy and concessions in the wording, Linke can be persuaded here.
Edit: Or Merz can just say he doesn’t want to change anything about the debt brake, OK. Saves him from negotiating anything I guess. Maybe the billions he needs will just fall out of the sky then.