Defense Minister Pistorius regards the two percent target for Bundeswehr financing as set. And this is also the consensus in the coalition. However, there are different ideas about how it can be achieved.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has again called for an increase in defense spending. The armed forces need "adequate financial resources," said the SPD politician during a visit to the Navy in Eckernförde. In particular, the NATO goal of spending two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense must be met.
Pistorius emphasized that in Eckernförde he had "experienced a highly motivated group" that made "an important contribution to the defense of the country and the alliance". However, there is also a lack of personnel and equipment in the Navy, and there is a "tough maintenance backlog". "The tablecloth is quite short," said the minister. Therefore, he will "do his utmost" to better equip the Navy and the other branches of the armed forces.
Pistorius regards the two percent target as set. "No one seriously denies that two percent must be reached," he said, adding that the coalition is only "about how." With regard to the 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr, Pistorius said that "it cannot compensate in two to three years what has not been invested in three decades". Therefore, "you have to set priorities". Here he will look at the previous plans again.
In view of the debates in the coalition about the budget for 2024, Pistorius made it clear that this should not be about playing the Bundeswehr and socio-political projects off against each other. "Both have their justification" and are "a political necessity," he emphasized. The task is therefore "to find a way how this can be financed". This is now being discussed in the coalition.
According to the minister, he says he is "not planning to return to conscription" to solve the personnel problems in the Bundeswehr. Instead, ideas are being worked on to make service in the Bundeswehr more attractive, for example in terms of working hours or working conditions.
