The draft envisages spending of 555.4 billion euros, around 31 billion more than in the current year. According to the draft seen by news agencies, new borrowing is set to rise to over 200 billion euros – a significant increase from original plans.
Defense spending is rising particularly sharply: around 109.7 billion euros are earmarked for the Bundeswehr, about a third more than in the 2026 budget. Total investment amounts to 117.5 billion euros, almost 40 billion more than originally planned. This is made possible by a recently passed 500-billion-euro infrastructure package and a loosening of the debt brake for defense spending.
SPD leader and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil defended the high level of new borrowing. “You can’t defend yourself against Putin with a balanced budget,” he said on Sunday on ARD’s “Report from Berlin,” referring to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Parliamentary deliberations begin after the summer break in September, with final adoption planned by the end of the year.
Source: www.dw.com
