March 19, 2025 (EIRNS)—In what is arguably the lowest point of its history, the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Bundestag, on March 18 voted up a constitutional amendment to allow a massive rearmament and Green spending. With the necessary two-thirds majority, parliament passed an amendment to the Basic Law that exempts spending on defense and security for some €400-plus billion from the so-called “debt brake”—the Constitutional prohibition of increasing the debt. The €500 billion in special funds for “infrastructure spending” was also approved. In addition, the previously strict debt rule was relaxed for the federal states as well.
Helga Zepp-LaRouche, as well as prominent constitutionalists, have described the vote as a virtual “Staatsstreich” (coup d'état). Indeed, the Bundestag vote is formally legal but its legitimacy is questionable. Knowing that reaching a two-thirds majority in the new Parliament, which was voted for on Feb. 23, would not be possible, likely Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and his counterparts in the coalition partner SPD decided to convoke the old Parliament and extend its life until the latest possible date (30 days after the general elections), in order for them to do the job of lifting the debt brake. To achieve his goal, Merz made a dirty deal with the Greens that ensured the needed two-thirds majority. He offered them a “bribe” of €100 billions for climate policy, as well as the introduction of climate protection in the Constitution.
Thus, Merz betrayed all promises he made in the election campaign, namely keeping the debt brake and never ally with the Greens. Although electoral promises are regularly betrayed, the dimension of this betrayal is unprecedented.
To put maximum pressure on MPs, the vote was held nominally and publicly. 512 MPs voted in favor of the amendments, 206 voted against. There were no abstentions. A two-thirds majority of 489 votes was required for passage.
The package must now be approved by the Upper House, the Bundesrat (Chamber of States), in order to enter into force.
