Berlin – The prospective Following German government plans Allow a greater defense expense by loosening the strict debt rules and establishing a huge infrastructure fund that aims to boost the largest economy in Europe cleared its final parliamentary obstacle on Friday with the approval of the upper house.
The Chamber, which represents the 16 state governments of Germany, approved the measure proposed by the next chancellor Friedrich Merz with the necessary majority of two thirds. His support continued approval on Tuesday For the low house.
Conservative leader Merz, who won Last month’s choiceAnd his possible partners of the Centro Left coalition say that the last weeks have brought a new urgency to efforts to further strengthen Germany Long militaryAs doubts have grown about the United States commitment to the transatlantic alliance.
The plans needed a two -thirds majority in both Chambers of Parliament because they imply changes in the strict rules of self -imposed indebtedness of Germany: the so -called “debt brake”, which allows new loans to be worth only 0.35% of the annual gross domestic product and anchored in the Constitution. Which forced the possible partners of the coalition In negotiations With environmental green, whose votes were necessary to obtain enough support.
The package exempts from the expense of debt and security rules, including intelligence agencies and assistance to Ukraine, of more than 1% of GDP. It also plans to establish a fund of 500 billion euros ($ 544 billion), financed by loans, to pour money into the German creak infrastructure in the next 12 years and help Restore the stagnant economy to growth.
At the insistence of the greens, 100 billion euros of the investment fund will be allocated to expenses related to the climate. The package will also give state governments more freedom to ask for money borrowed.
The parts that negotiated the plans control 41 of the 69 votes in the upper house of Parliament. Another 12 votes of the states where other parties are also in the government gave the package the necessary majority. Four states whose governments contain parts that oppose the plans abstained.
Friday’s vote completed a first successful test for Merz, but still faces a lot of work to build a coalition of its union block and the social democrats on the left of the center of Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz.
