German defence minister faces scrutiny over procurement priorities
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius faces criticism from IfW economist Moritz Schularick over Bundeswehr procurement priorities amid broader security and political debates.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius faces renewed scrutiny over military procurement priorities. Moritz Schularick, head of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), argued that planned defence expenditure through 2030 continues to fund legacy platforms, including tanks and naval frigates, rather than next-generation weapon systems.
The procurement debate unfolds alongside heightened attention to domestic infrastructure protection following an intercepted drone incident in Leipzig, where international security officials reportedly suspect foreign involvement. Concurrently, domestic political dynamics continue to shift as a recent Deutschlandtrend poll showed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) expanding its lead over the centre-right CDU/CSU alliance, accompanied by growing public openness toward selective legislative cooperation.
Sources: Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau
Sources
- DW — Deutschlandtrend: AfD vergrößert Vorsprung vor der Union
- Die Zeit — Verteidigung: Führender IfW-Ökonom kritisiert deutsche Rüstung
- FAZ — Deutschland-Liveblog: IfW-Präsident wirft Pistorius falsche Investitionen vor
- Tagesschau — IfW-Präsident wirft Pistorius falsche Investitionen in Bundeswehr vor
- Der Spiegel — News: Dürre und Gemüsepreise, Schutz vor Drohnen, Deutschlands Top-Rating wackelt
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