Friedrich Merz passes baptism of fire German Bundestag waves through gigantic financial package
The German Bundestag has passed an amendment to the Basic Law with a clear majority. This enables the financial package of the new governing parties CDU, CSU and SPD.
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- In a special session, the German Bundestag has passed the controversial financial package of the future CDU/CSU and CDU/CSU government.
- 500 billion euros are to be spent primarily on infrastructure. A relaxation of the debt brake allows for more defense spending.
- The Greens also contributed to the draft.
- The package was adopted by a clear majority. Friedrich Merz's baptism of fire has thus been passed.
- The financial package, which is intended to allow the future federal government to increase spending on defense and infrastructure, has not yet been passed.
- The Federal Council must also give its approval on Friday. It is made up of members of the state governments of all German federal states.
The German Bundestag passed the controversial financial package of the future coalition parties CDU, CSU and SPD in a special session. The Greens were also involved in the draft. An amendment to the Basic Law is necessary for the project, which requires a two-thirds majority.
The vote included the relaxation of the debt brake for defense spending and a special fund of 500 billion euros for infrastructure. The vote was seen as the first test for the policy of Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz (CDU).
With the approval of the Bundestag, the measures are not yet a done deal. The Bundesrat, which consists of members of the state governments of all German federal states, must also give its approval. This is due to happen on Friday.
Better result than expected
The financial package was passed with a clear majority: 513 MPs voted in favor, 24 more than necessary. No one abstained.
The original draft was drawn up by the future governing parties CDU, CSU and SPD alone. After they made their plan public, the Greens opposed the draft. As the plan was dependent on the party's votes, the Greens were included in a revision.
In the revised version, greater consideration was also given to climate protection and other additional investments. "Climate protection can no longer fail because of money," announced Green Party leader Franziska Brantner at today's meeting.
Amendment to the Basic Law in the shadow of Putin and Trump
The need for the financial package was also justified by the initiating parties with the foreign policy situation, such as the war in Ukraine and the reorientation of US foreign policy under Donald Trump.
CSU politician Alexander Dobrindt spoke of a "European response from Germany". The special package represents "a joint effort from the center of the parliament". SPD leader Lars Klingbeil spoke of "German cohesion and strength" as the aim of the package. However, it would also "relieve the majority of people in this country".
However, criticism of the future federal government's plans came mainly from the left-wing parties. Sören Pellmann from the Left Party warned of the internal political consequences of the plans. "Friedrich Merz wants to and will take an axe to the welfare state," warned the future co-chairman of the left-wing parliamentary group. This is being done to militarize German society.
BSW protests with posters
The left-wing populist BSW caused unrest in the Bundestag with a poster campaign. After BSW leader Sahra Wagenknecht spoke in her speech about war loans with a climate seal, MPs raised packages with the inscription "1914 like 2025: No to war loans!".
The slogan alludes to the war loans of 1914, which the Reichstag passed at the time to enable the financing of the subsequent First World War.
As such poster campaigns are prohibited in the Bundestag, the session had to be briefly interrupted. The BSW missed out on entering the next Bundestag by only around 9,000 votes. With 4.98%, the party fell just short of the 5% threshold.
AfD attacks Merz
AfD politician Alexander Gauland refrained from discussing the content of the financial package. Instead, the honorary chairman of the right-wing populist party repeated his criticism of Friedrich Merz.
By refusing to enter into a coalition with the AfD, he was bowing to "left-green social changes", said the 84-year-old. Gauland is a former CDU member. He left the party when it was led by former Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The special session was the last meeting of the old Bundestag as it was elected in 2021. The new Bundestag according to the election results of February 23, 2025 will be constituted on March 25.
