Berlin - According to its chief budget officer Christian Haase (CDU), the Union faction is open to the introduction of a new special fund for the Bundeswehr or to a significant increase in the existing 100 billion in assets in the Basic Law. "In the Union faction there is fundamental willingness for a new or significantly higher special fund for the Bundeswehr," Haase told the "Rheinische Post" (Thursday edition). The new US administration has completely changed the security policy coordinates for Germany and Europe. "We need to be able to defend ourselves more quickly. That's why it might make sense to approve the special fund in the short term with the two-thirds majority of the old Bundestag. If we want to go down this path, we need to reach an agreement with the SPD, FDP and Greens as soon as possible," said the faction's budget policy spokesman. However, the Union is not prepared to pay a political price for the approval of the SPD and Greens. "We would thereby fulfill exactly what SPD Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has always demanded. That is why I think rumors about a political price are misguided," said Haase. "For the Greens, too, increasing defense capabilities is a matter close to their hearts. If they now want to set conditions for their approval, they should ask themselves how seriously they represent their positions," said the CDU politician.
Haase rejected a reform of the debt brake, which the Greens demanded as a condition. "We don't want to talk about a reform of the debt brake at the moment. Because we first need a financial review," said Haase. "For this we need current figures from the Federal Ministry of Finance. The financial review will then determine the financial framework for the next few years."
