According to F. Gardner and T. Luckhurst
German lawmakers have voted for a major increase in defence and infrastructure spending, a sea change for the country that could reshape European defence. The law exempts defence and security spending from Germany’s strict debt rules and will create a €500bn ($547bn; £420bn) infrastructure fund. The vote is a historic step for traditionally debt-conscious Germany and could have huge implications for Europe.
The two-thirds majority needed to pass the changes in the Bundestag approved the vote on Tuesday, with 513 members of the Bundestag voting in favour and 207 against.
To secure the two-thirds majority needed in parliament, Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU and the centre-left Social Democrats had to include Green Party demands in their proposal at the last minute. This was necessary because the new Bundestag, which will replace the outgoing one in the coming days, will not be able to secure the necessary votes.
However, the state government's representatives in the upper house, the Bundesrat, still have to approve the measures - also by a two-thirds majority - before they can officially become law. That vote is scheduled for Friday.
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