Merz Sees Germany on NATO Path to 5% Goal Defense Spending

Chancellor Friedrich Merz for the first time publicly advocated spending up to 5% of the German economy on defense.

“We are on the way to commit ourselves to allocating the 3.5% NATO quota for military procurement, but an additional 1.5% for infrastructure that is of military relevance,” Merz said Wednesday in Berlin at an event hosted by the German construction lobby group. The 1.5% should go toward bridges or roads for transportation, he added.