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Merz accuses Scholz of breaking his word when it comes to the Bundeswehr billions
Union faction leader Friedrich Merz during the general debate. photo
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
The highlight of the budget week: an exchange of blows on the government policy of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his traffic light coalition in the energy crisis is expected in the Bundestag today.
Union faction leader Friedrich Merz has accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of breaking promises in connection with the announced special fund of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr. The defense budget will not increase by at least two percent as agreed, but will fall by almost 300 million euros, said the CDU chairman on Wednesday in the general debate on Scholz’s government policy and his traffic light government in the Bundestag in Berlin. “This is a gross breach of promise to Parliament and above all to the Bundeswehr,” he criticized.
Dealing with the commitments and dealing with the partners in the EU and NATO rightly triggers alienation and distrust, said Merz. How is Germany supposed to remain credible within the framework of the alliance, he asked. With regard to Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure, the Union faction leader spoke of war crimes of the worst kind, for which Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime will have to answer before the world community at some point. After receiving applause for this sentence, Merz criticized that it was revealing that “on the far left and the far right” side of the Bundestag, no hand had moved.
The federal budget for 2023 will be voted on this Friday. After three exceptional years, the debt brake is to be complied with again. Because of the poor economic expectations, new loans of more than 45 billion euros are still possible.