On Sunday, the coalition and the Union agree on the legal basis for the Bundeswehr special fund. Now, however, the CDU is "blocking" the adoption of the list of armaments projects, according to traffic light circles. The decision planned for Friday could also be postponed.
The Union parties have not yet approved the list of armaments projects for the special fund for the Bundeswehr. The time for examining the projects worth 100 billion euros was too short, said the CSU defense politician Florian Hahn on the Phoenix broadcaster. Green MP Agnieszka Brugger was "very surprised" that the Union was only considering adoption next week and spoke of "chaos" within the Union. The Defense Committee had discussed the list in the morning. However, the Union "blocked" an adoption, according to traffic light circles. Therefore, there should be a special meeting of the committee in the evening.
Hahn said there were "a few question marks over the details." Such a project "cannot be knitted with a hot needle". He did not want to give details of the Union's reservations. However, he is confident that the package can be passed this week or, if necessary, in the coming week. The Union is "absolutely willing" to support the project, but it must be "rock solid".
According to the list available to AFP, a large part of the funds from the special fund, amounting to almost 41 billion euros, are to be used for the Air Force. Plans include the purchase of US F-35 stealth fighter jets, a Eurofighter version for electronic warfare and the armament of the Heron drone.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the special fund at the end of February after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is intended to eliminate massive equipment shortages in the Bundeswehr. A two-thirds majority is required for the planned amendment to the Basic Law. Therefore, the traffic light parties need the approval of the Union. The traffic light government and the Union only agreed on the legal basis of the special fund late on Sunday evening. From circles in the traffic light coalition, it was said that the plan should be "called for a vote in the plenary session" on Friday afternoon.
