Germany’s foreign minister has criticised France for not spending enough on defence, adding strain to the already tense relationship between the traditional European allies.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said France’s efforts have been “insufficient" and it must make difficult decisions to cut spending to create the “breathing space needed” to spend more on defence.
French President Emmanuel Macron “repeatedly and correctly refers to our pursuit of European sovereignty,” Wadephul told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Monday.
“Anyone who talks about it needs to act accordingly in their own country.”
Under pressure from the United States to build up their defence spending, European Nato members pledged last June to raise it to 5 percent of GDP by 2035.
Europe’s defence dilemma: autonomy or dependence?
Germany, which has exempted most defence spending from constitutionally-mandated limits, anticipates spending more than €500 billion on defence between 2025 and 2029.
France, with its ballooning budget deficit has less room for manoeuvre.
The country has the European Union's third-highest debt burden as a proportion of GDP after Greece and Italy, almost twice the 60-percent ceiling set in EU treaties.
France and Macron needed to be ready to take difficult decisions, Wadephul said, including possible welfare cuts, to build the "breathing space needed".
"That is a call that goes out to all European countries," Wadephul said. "We will have to hold very open, very honest discussions about this here in our European family."
Eurobonds, a sticking point
Germany has rejected repeated calls from Macron for the EU to issue so-called eurobonds to boost investment, fearing common EU debt would lead to open-ended subsidies to member states with weak finances.
Wadephul reiterated Germany's opposition, adding that Nato member states had agreed to reach the spending goal by their own efforts.
"We must also say to all our European partners – in a spirit of friendship but with clarity – that what was promised, the five per cent, were commitments to national contributions," he said.
"We are looking forward to and eagerly await another speech by the French president, I believe on the 27th of this month, where he will comment on strategic issues," Wadephul added, referring to an upcoming security meeting.
Macron seeks €36bn boost in French defence spending by 2030
The relationship between France and Germany has been strained, not just over defence spending, but also a disagreement over the development of a next-generation European fighter jet, and opposition by France to the Mercosur trade deal between the EU and South American countries, backed by Germany.
In other recent disagreements, Paris also opposed a push by Berlin and Rome to water down a planned EU ban on new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.
A European diplomat last week told AFP that right now "the Franco-German axis isn't working".
(with AFP)
