Bundestag: “Taurus” trouble before the chancellor survey and another vote

For the first time this year, the Chancellor wants to answer questions from MPs in the Bundestag. The topic here too: the controversial “Taurus” rockets. A day later, there will be another vote on their delivery to Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will answer questions from MPs in the Bundestag for the first time this year on Wednesday. The focus of the survey, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., will probably be the “Taurus” cruise missiles, whose delivery or non-delivery to Ukraine has dominated the foreign policy debate for weeks.

The Union has already announced that it wants to ask Scholz about his rejection of a delivery of the “Taurus”. The Chancellor first gave detailed reasons for his rejection at the end of February. He fears that Germany could be drawn into the war if the missiles with a range of 500 kilometers were delivered.

Mützenich calls for another vote Faction discipline

The Union, but also the FDP and the Greens are against providing the weapons system desired by Ukraine, with which the Russian supply lines could be attacked far behind the front. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group has therefore requested another roll-call vote in the Bundestag on Thursday on the delivery of “Taurus” missiles to Ukraine.

In the run-up to this vote, the tone in the traffic light coalition has become more tense. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich demanded consequences from the coalition partners FDP and Greens for MPs who support a Union proposal for the provision of cruise missiles. “I clearly stated my expectations to both coalition partners this morning,” said Mützenich on Tuesday.

According to the FDP, the Union proposal is a “symbolic act”

MPs from the FDP and the Greens find themselves in a dilemma between party line and loyalty to the traffic lights. The leaders of both parties have repeatedly confirmed that their groups are in favor of a delivery of “Taurus”. They still refuse to approve the Union proposal, which basically demands the same thing, because they consider it a tactical game.

The chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Christian Dürr, called the Union’s proposal a “symbolic” act that did not help the matter. With a view to possible dissenters, he said. “There are no changing majorities in coalition governments (…).”

The deputy FDP chairman Wolfgang Kubicki recently said in an interview that, like his party colleague Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, he was about to vote for the Union proposal three weeks ago. This time he could imagine at least twelve MPs voting yes.

Mützenich had sharply criticized Strack-Zimmermann’s voting behavior. He accused the FDP of still putting the dissident on the list of speakers in the debate. “I found that not only unusual, but (…) also hurtful to me personally. And I hope that this has consequences within the respective factions.”

Greens: “Taurus” should and can be part of it

Green party leader Britta Haßelmann said it was “quite obvious” that part of the Union faction wanted to “make a contribution to domestic policy” with the motion initiative. “I do not share this intention and we will not support it.” At the same time, Haßelmann emphasized that it was fundamentally clear to her group that the “Taurus” system “should and can be part of supporting Ukraine in its defensive fight against Russia.”

The CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz makes the new vote a question of principle regarding Ukraine’s defense capability. In his view, it’s not about a single weapon system, but rather “very fundamental questions about Ukraine’s defense capability.” The country is in a very difficult situation and its defense is becoming increasingly difficult. “Anyone who refuses this aid to Ukraine does not increase the chances of peace, but rather increases the risk of war,” warned Merz.