German lawmakers have voted to allow a huge increase in defense and infrastructure spending – a seismic shift for the country that could reshape European defense.
A two-thirds majority of Bundestag parliamentarians required for the change approved the vote on Tuesday.
The law will exempt spending on defense and security from Germany's strict debt rules, and create a €500bn ($547bn) infrastructure fund.
This vote is a historic move for traditionally debt-shy Germany and could be hugely significant for Europe as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine grinds on and after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled an uncertain commitment to NATO and Europe’s defense.
State government representatives in the upper house, the Bundesrat, still need to approve the moves – also by a two-thirds majority – before they officially become law. That vote is set for Friday, the BBC said.
