German defence spending draws criticism as AfD poll lead widens

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is facing renewed scrutiny over military procurement priorities after Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) President Moritz Schularick argued that planned expenditure focuses too heavily on conventional systems, such as tanks and frigates, rather than modern weapon technologies.

The defence debate coincides with broader domestic pressures in Germany. A new Deutschlandtrend poll shows the Alternative for Germany (AfD) widening its lead over the centre-right CDU/CSU, alongside rising public openness toward case-by-case legislative cooperation. Concurrently, the Social Democratic Party is managing internal unrest from rank-and-file members, Berlin authorities are addressing organized crime networks, and the agricultural sector is confronting severe livestock feed shortages linked to ongoing dry conditions.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau