In a recent statement, Jens Spahn, the leader of the CDU parliamentary group, has sparked controversy by proposing the creation of a European nuclear arsenal and direct German access to these weapons.
The proposal has been met with sharp criticism from the SPD and opposition parties, who accuse Spahn of attempting to divert attention from his own scandals. Philipp Türmer, the leader of the Juso youth organization, believes that Spahn’s timing is deliberate, saying, “Jens Spahn produces headlines right now, primarily to deflect from his own scandals.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Green party, with Sara Nanni, the party’s security spokesperson, stating, “This proposal is part of a large-scale diversion tactic to distract the public from the further details of Spahn’s mask affair, which will cost taxpayers many billions of euros.” Nanni also accused Spahn of making “self-defence politics, not defence politics.”
In contrast, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence, acknowledged the continent’s reliance on NATO and the US for security, saying, “France’s own nuclear forces are not sufficient, as they do not have tactical nuclear weapons to ensure sole security.” However, she also cautioned that Spahn’s proposals are not as easily implementable, stating, “A European shield would only be thinkable as part of a common, institutional approach – and would bring significant security and structural challenges.