German defence procurement faces criticism amid shifting political landscape
IfW President Moritz Schularick has criticised German defence investments as new polling shows the AfD widening its lead over the CDU/CSU.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is facing renewed scrutiny from economic researchers over military procurement priorities. Moritz Schularick, president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), warned that defence allocations projected through 2030 rely too heavily on legacy hardware, including conventional tanks and naval frigates, rather than next-generation defence systems.
The debate unfolds alongside shifting domestic political dynamics across Germany. A recent Deutschlandtrend survey indicated that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has expanded its polling lead over the centre-right CDU/CSU alliance, accompanied by increasing public receptivity toward issue-by-issue parliamentary cooperation. Simultaneously, internal disputes within the governing federal coalition continue over climate adaptation measures and proposed statutory pension reforms.
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: Streit um Klima-Aktionsplan der SPD, Russische Antikriegspartei Jabloko, Bärbel Bas unter Druck
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