Germany must return to international stage, Merz tells parliament as he pushes for debt brake reform

Record ID: 1984624

  • Title: Germany must return to international stage, Merz tells parliament as he pushes for debt brake reform
  • Date: 13th March 2025
  • Summary: KYIV, UKRAINE (MARCH 13, 2025) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** AIDER RUSTEMOV, 45, HEAD MUFTI OF CRIMEA GREETING GUESTS SCRIPTURE ON WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) 45-YEAR-OLD HEAD MUFTI OF CRIMEA, AIDER RUSTEMOV, SAYING: (AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING) “We have always said: one can’t defeat the outside enemy before defeating the inner enemy. The Ramadan valu
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Bundestag Friedrich Merz Greens chancellor-hopeful debt brake infrastructure parliament
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • City: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Europe,Lawmaking,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA005854813032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz urged sceptical lawmakers on Thursday (March 13) to back his proposals for a massive increase in state borrowing, framing them as a test for Germany to stand tall on the world stage and safeguard European security.
    Merz is in a race against time to persuade the outgoing parliament to approve a 500 billion euro fund for infrastructure and sweeping changes to borrowing rules to revive growth and ramp up military spending in Europe's largest economy.
    The conservative leader has struck a note of urgency over hiking defence spending. After winning Germany's February 23 election, he said it was "five minutes to midnight" for Europe, warning that a hostile Russia and an unreliable U.S. could leave the continent exposed.
    Merz wants to secure the funds before a new parliament convenes on March 25, where they risk being blocked by an expanded contingent of far-right and far-left lawmakers.
    Acknowledging that his plans could fail, Merz told lawmakers that Germany's credibility was at stake.
    "The whole world is watching Germany these days and weeks. We have a task... that goes far beyond the borders of our own country and the well-being of our own people," he said.
    The prospect of a major spending shift in a country better known for its frugality has rocked markets over the past week, helping lift the euro to five-month highs against the dollar.
    But the financial package is far from a done deal, with Merz's conservatives and his likely future coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), needing to win over the Greens to secure the two-thirds majority required to change the constitution.
    (Production: Oliver Ellrodt, Michele Sani)
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