Germany can become the power that will resume the EU dynamically if it seized the current opportunity, the eminent British historian said in a Guardian article in “Guardian” Timothy Gartonand her future Chancellor, the leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU), is determined to confirm it.
Mertz, the winner of the German elections, intends not only to form the government as soon as possible with the Social Democrats (SPDs), but also before its formation seeks to strengthen the common European defense by voting for a new defense package after the US and their reluctance.
Mertz, Germany’s most Atlantic center -right politician, said the EU now has to speed up the organization of the common European defense, without counting on the US.
However, to vote on the increase in defense spending, Mertz should amend the provision of the Constitution that provides that Germany’s borrowing threshold should not exceed 0.35% of GDP (the surname “debt brake”). Mertz aspires to increase Germany’s defense spending to 3% of GDP, about € 140 billion, to ensure its military independence from the US.
However, to vote on the constitutional change, the votes of two -thirds of parliament are required. However, in the new House, which emerged from the elections, the central parties – the CDU, the SPD and the Greens – do not secure two -thirds of the votes for just seven votes (garnering 413 and requires 420 votes of 630). It is recalled that in the new House the far -right alternative to Germany (AfD) and the left -wing Die Linke party have strong representation, with 152 and 64 votes respectively.
With these facts, Mertz is involved in a road race in order to reform to increase defense spending by the outgoing House whose term expires on March 24, in which the central parties secure a two -thirds majority.
The outgoing House could immediately vote for the creation of a new Special Defense Fund. And although the establishment of a new Special Fund with the old parliamentary majority is considered controversial, lawyers, as the FAZ notes, consider it possible, as well as the reform of the debt restriction mechanism.
To win the SPD and the Greens, Mertz will probably provide them with the establishment of a new Special Infrastructure Fund. Each of these two funds could be boosted with 100 billion euros. In the Christian Democratic Party they consider constitutionally permissible, although politically political, to use the outgoing parliament for such important decisions.
Similar reservations were also expressed by members of the Liberal Party (FDP) parliamentary group (FDP) in the outgoing parliament. Mertz, however, realizes the critical juncture of Europe and the world after the decisions of the US Trump government. Whether in his initiatives Mertz enrolled in the list of Chancellors’ Christian Democrats such as Anteenauer and the Col, That will leave a strong footprint in Europe, it remains to be proven.
