A group of prominent Social Democrats has issued a foundational document, dubbed a “manifesto” calling for an immediate U-turn in foreign and security policy. The paper, reported by the “Stern” takes a stance against the government’s and party leadership’s lines of approach.
The authors urge for talks with Russia and a halt to the deployment of new US intermediate-range missiles. Additionally, they declare the planned five percent goal of the NATO for “irrational.”
“In Germany and in most European states, forces have prevailed that seek the future primarily in a military confrontation strategy and hundreds of billions of euros for rearmament” the paper states. “Military alarm rhetoric and massive rearmament programs do not create more security for Germany and Europe, but rather lead to destabilization and the reinforcement of the mutual threat perception between NATO and Russia.”
The document is signed by dozens of prominent Social Democrats, including the former faction leader Rolf Mützenich, the foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner, former party chief Norbert Walter-Borjans and the former federal finance minister Hans Eichel.
The SPD politicians demand several concrete measures, including talks with Russia. Now, a “step-by-step return to the relaxation of relations and cooperation with Russia” is necessary, it is stated.
The authors criticize the planned massive increase in defense spending. “There is no security-political justification for a year-long increase in the defense budget to 3.5 or five percent of the gross domestic product. We consider it irrational to fix a percentage of military expenditure at the GDP” they write.
Furthermore, they demand a halt to the deployment of new US intermediate-range missiles in Germany. “The deployment of far-reaching, hypersonic US missile systems in Germany would make our country a target of the first hour.”
Ralf Stegner, one of the leading authors of the text, told the “Stern” that the goal of the publication is also to adjust the internal party debate. “The SPD must remain part of the peace movement. At the moment, there is an unbridled discussion about the next war and the military service. We as Social Democrats must resist this form of militarization” he said.
The text comes at a sensitive time. The SPD is set to hold a federal party convention at the end of June, nearly coinciding with the NATO summit, at which Germany will commit to significantly increasing its defense spending.