This is a small sensation: the federal government wants to spend five percent for defense. And there are not only no mass demonstrations. But two thirds of the Germans support the new goal according to the ZDF polite barometer.
Apparently the political parties have misjudged the citizens over the years. The Germans, it often said, had become a people of Pacific.
But people see the geopolitical situation much more realistic than many representatives of the people would have trusted them.
Of course, upgrade is not a welcome goal. It is the necessary answer to the threat. A brutal war has been raging in Europe for three years.
Vladimir Putin will not be satisfied with Ukraine and is not accessible to diplomacy. As soon as he has achieved his goals there – either through a “peace” by dictation or by simply freezing the fighting fronts from exhaustion – he has his hands free to use his troops elsewhere.
The mental turning point in Germany is unmistakable. The citizens see the dangers – and are ready to reward unpleasant truths with their support.
Christoph von MarschallDiplomatic correspondent of the editor -in -chief
Europe and its largest economy, Germany, have only one option in Donald Trump’s presidency on how to prevent NATO’s east flank: by credible military deterrence.
A strategic weak point is Lithuania, where the Bundeswehr leads the NATO protection force. The military line-up there looks like an invitation to Putin, the European NATO countries and their promise of support.
Therefore, the plan to spend 3.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for defense and to put another 1.5 percent into the militarily relevant infrastructure is by no means exaggerated. Only when bridges, rail lines and streets are repaired can the units of the allies come to the aid of the Germans and the Lithuanians quickly in the event of an attack. This is not the case today.
You could know all of this for years. But both in the Merkel years and under the traffic light coalition, the rulers feared the alleged peace idealism of the citizens. The Union did not even dare to work in the election campaign for a two percent weir.
Anti-military polemic no longer pulls
SPD, left-and many Greens at Putin’s attack on Ukraine-rely on the anti-military polemics. Every euro for the Bundeswehr means social damage because the money then lacks social affairs and climate policy. In addition, as with the AfD-despite their flirts with the Trump team-and the alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), there was a romantic transfiguration of relationships with Russia and a hardly understood anti-Americanism.
That has changed. Putin scares the German, as does the unpredictable Trump, who has hollowed out the belief in the US’s commitment. The German army is suddenly popular, which also showed the “Bundeswehr Day” at the weekend.
Lies of the Left Party
Nevertheless, Left Party, AfD, BSW and the left wing of the SPD continue to turn with distorted narratives against defense policy. Do you not see that the 30 percent that the five percent goal is critical according to ZDF Politbarometer are a smaller number than the sum of the voices you achieved in the Bundestag election? In other words, with this attitude you reduce your voter potential.
The Left Party claims undiminished that every euro for the armor is missing for kindergartens. This is a smooth lie. The Federal Government finally decided that the higher expenditure for defense is not saved elsewhere, but is financed from debts. This definition can be found wrong, but it applies. With their claims, AfD and BSW are not closer to reality.
The mouthpieces of the left SPD, such as Rolf Mützenich and Ralf Stegner, twist reality with their demand for more diplomacy and the appointment to Willy Brandt’s relaxation policy. Brandt based its Eastern politics on strength in the 1970s. At that time, the Federal Republic spent more than 3.5 percent from GDP for defense, the infrastructure and the United States was relying. Brandt is therefore suitable as a key witness for the five percent goal.
Sure, the survey is a snapshot. Skepticism is greater in the parallel elevations to compulsory military service. But the mental turning point in Germany is unmistakable.
The citizens see the dangers. And they do not want to be fed up with lies fairy tales or with verbal calming pills. You expect leadership – and you are willing to reward unpleasant truths with your support.
Source: Tagesspiegel
I work as a news website author and mostly cover the opinion section. I have been writing since I was a teenager, and have always enjoyed telling stories. I studied journalism at university and loved every minute of it. After graduating, I decided to move to London and take up a position with a Global Happenings. It has been an incredible experience, learning about all sorts of different cultures and meeting some amazing people. My goal is to continue learning and growing in my career so that I can provide readers with the best possible content.
