Friedrich Merz, Germany’s opposition leader and likely next chancellor, has pledged to increase defence spending but declined to commit to NATO’s proposed 5% GDP target, highlighting the need for practical and sustainable measures ahead of February’s parliamentary elections.
German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, expected to become chancellor in next month’s election, stated on Wednesday that Germany would increase defence spending but stopped short of endorsing NATO’s 5% GDP target proposed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Speaking to Bayerischer Rundfunk, Merz said, "We first really have to reach the 2% lower limit in Germany. We are not there yet," adding that specific percentages were less important than ensuring effective defence capabilities.
Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), agreed that military spending should increase, suggesting it should rise to "well over 3%." However, Germany’s current ability to meet NATO’s 2% target relies on a special fund set to expire in 2028, raising concerns about maintaining this level of expenditure.
Defence spending has become a central campaign issue ahead of Germany’s 23 February parliamentary elections, with pressure mounting due to Trump’s proposals and tensions with Russia.
While Merz believes Germany can finance increased defence spending without special funds, Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens has proposed a 3.5% target funded through loans. Social Democrat Dirk Wiese dismissed Trump’s demands as "complete madness" and criticised Habeck’s proposal as "somewhat half-baked," echoing outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
A child was killed and five other people injured in Russian air strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials have said.
China has announced plans to complete the world's first AI-driven geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, a project that aims to reconstruct the red planet's ancient water history and introduce a Chinese framework for Martian geological time that Beijing hopes will become a new global standard.
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New York prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into allegations that seven Cornell University fraternity members sexually assaulted a student in 2024. The case is set to be presented to a grand jury following renewed scrutiny.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared that Brexit has done more harm than good, while reaffirming support for Ukraine and NATO as he used his first Labour conference speech as leader to set out a new direction for Britain.
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