Concerns are mounting within the German parliament regarding potential cuts to humanitarian aid as lawmakers scrutinize the upcoming federal budget. The proposed shifts in resource allocation are drawing criticism for what some describe as a disconnect between increased spending on global defense and reductions in assistance programs.
Ralf Stegner, a prominent foreign policy spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), voiced his apprehension in an interview with the “Rheinische Post” stating that the current trajectory “violates our fundamental values of solidarity and humanity” and doesn’t align with Germany’s global responsibilities as the world’s third-largest economy.
Ines Schwerdtner, chair of the Left Party and a member of the parliamentary budget committee, echoed these concerns, characterizing cuts to development aid as “a disgrace”. She warned that such reductions risk exacerbating poverty, displacement and conflict, creating a detrimental cycle. Schwerdtner further emphasized that prioritizing increased spending on defense and isolationist measures over development aid and international cooperation represents a misallocation of resources and a departure from Germany’s commitment to global partnership.