Berlin, March 11, 2025 – The Europe Today: Germany’s Green Party has raised objections to a proposed plan to ease the debt brake and allocate €500 billion ($542 billion) to defense and infrastructure spending. The proposal, put forward by Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is also supported by the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which is expected to be a junior coalition partner.
The Greens’ parliamentary co-leaders, Katharina Dröge and Britta Hasselmann, expressed their intent to encourage the party to vote against the package, accusing the CDU and SPD of creating a “treasure chest” to fund political priorities, including tax cuts. Speaking to reporters, Dröge emphasized that any investment plan must include significant contributions to climate protection and economic development.
Ongoing Negotiations and Responses
The debt brake, a constitutional limit on borrowing, can only be altered with a two-thirds majority in parliament, making Green Party support essential for the proposal to pass. Despite the Greens’ opposition, CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann described their demands as “constructive proposals” and expressed hope for continued dialogue.
Similarly, SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil maintained optimism for a resolution, while outgoing Finance Minister Jörg Kukies acknowledged the legitimacy of the Greens’ concerns and expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached.
The CDU and SPD remain determined to push the plan forward, aiming to secure funding for key infrastructure projects and defense modernization. The outcome of ongoing negotiations will be crucial in determining the future of Germany’s fiscal and investment strategy.
