I’m fairly far left but the strong LINKE might actually fuck us over pretty hard. They are strong enough that they’re able to block increased defense spending together with the AfD in a time where increased national and European security might just be our most existential issue.
They are strong enough that they’re able to block increased defense spending together with the AfD
Does Germany have some rules that defence spending requires a 2/3rds supermajority or something? Linke and AfD cannot stop anything on their own if a simple majority is required. The Union and SPD have a slim majority between them, and add the Greens and you’ve got an extremely strong majority.
The only way the conservatives get the funding for increased arms manufacturing is by disabling/changing something about the debt ceiling.
Debt ceiling is in the basic law (constitution), which requires a 2/3 majority to be altered.
Linke are against the debt ceiling in general, but not if it’s only disabled for military spending while still preventing investments in public infrastructure. I think with a bit of diplomacy and concessions in the wording, Linke can be persuaded here.
Oh yeah I’ve heard some commentators talking about the debt brake before, and how some are pushing to do away with it. It didn’t occur to me that military spending would specifically be the sticking point there.
I’m fairly far left but the strong LINKE might actually fuck us over pretty hard. They are strong enough that they’re able to block increased defense spending together with the AfD in a time where increased national and European security might just be our most existential issue.
Does Germany have some rules that defence spending requires a 2/3rds supermajority or something? Linke and AfD cannot stop anything on their own if a simple majority is required. The Union and SPD have a slim majority between them, and add the Greens and you’ve got an extremely strong majority.
The only way the conservatives get the funding for increased arms manufacturing is by disabling/changing something about the debt ceiling.
Debt ceiling is in the basic law (constitution), which requires a 2/3 majority to be altered.
Linke are against the debt ceiling in general, but not if it’s only disabled for military spending while still preventing investments in public infrastructure. I think with a bit of diplomacy and concessions in the wording, Linke can be persuaded here.
Oh yeah I’ve heard some commentators talking about the debt brake before, and how some are pushing to do away with it. It didn’t occur to me that military spending would specifically be the sticking point there.