Exclusive: Germany weighs special funds for defence and infrastructure, sources say

Reuters ^ | 03 02 2025 | Andreas Rinke

[yesthatjallen]

BERLIN, March 2 (Reuters) - The parties in talks to form Germany's new government are considering quickly setting up two special funds potentially worth hundreds of billions of euros, one for defence and a second for infrastructure, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Economists advising the parties that will likely form a new government coalition estimate around 400 billion euros ($415 billion) are needed for the defence fund and 400 billion to 500 billion euros for the infrastructure fund, the people said.

Friday's heated White House meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump increased a sense of urgency in Berlin to act faster on spending for Germany's own defence and for Ukraine, they said.

Senior figures from Germany's conservatives and Social Democrats began exploratory talks on Friday about forming a coalition government in the hope that Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative bloc which came first in last week's election, would form a government by Easter.

SNIP

[yesthatjallen]

Video at link.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Germany may not want a war if they have to pay for it out of their own pocket.

[catnipman]

so where is Germany gonna get an ADDITIONAL 400 billion euros? ... Can they print dough out of thin air like the U.S. does?

[Harpotoo]

Don’t they mean special taxes?-)

[montag813]

In a decade or so, Germany is going to need that $400 billion for a “defense fund” against a Muslim insurgency. They are so utterly blind as to what is even happening.

[dljordan]

“Don’t they mean special taxes?-)”

Yes, they’re going to tax Korans.

[Paladin2]

Infrastructure?

Deutschland needs more windmills?

[AlaskaErik]

So their coalition deal with be completed by Easter. April 20, 2025. Adolf Hitler’s birthday. How convenient. Scratch a German, find a Nazi.