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What did Habeck say about defense?
Asked about whether his call for 3.5% of GDP to be spent on German defense was a response to Trump’s demand for NATO members to up their defense spending to 5%, Habeck said he was guided only by what was urgent and necessary.
He said that Germany had a “security problem” because too little had been invested in the armed forces — the Bundeswehr — and the country’s defense and security capability in the past.
“If there is a problem, it has to be solved,” Habeck said. “I think Trump takes a completely different approach.”
“He just throws out some number or other, and if we were at 5% now, he would say 9. […] That is not my way of thinking. It is simply necessary to do what has to be done, that is all,” he added.
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‘Friendliness’ as counterbalance to far right
When asked for his views on how best to tackle far-right parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which are currently enjoying considerable popularity, Habeck said success by democratic forces would “weaken the seductive power of right-wing populism.”
“If people see that cooperation and peaceable policies are successful, even those who are undecided will come on board,” he said.
“Politics is partly a kind of marketplace where success is always admired. So a progressive, democratic, liberal — I would say even a friendly — approach must always be more successful than the hate-filled approach of the [far-right AfD],” Habeck argued.
“That is what we are trying to promote, and the other parties will surely join in. […] But there have to be more and more who work toward success rather than destruction.”
The interview was conducted by DW’s Michaela Küfner
Edited by: Natalie Muller
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Publish date : 2025-01-21 02:01:00
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