A planned amendment to the Basic Law, intended to relax the debt brake’s requirements, will grant the future government an additional financial leeway of around 23 billion euros this year, according to the “Spiegel” magazine, citing individuals involved in the negotiations.
Pursuant to this, in 2025, an additional 19 billion euros can be spent on defense, the intelligence services, cybersecurity, aid to states illegally attacked and civil and population protection, all financed through new debt. The former Social Democratic-Green-Alliance government had already allocated funds in its first budget draft for the 2025 budget for these purposes, which are now available for other uses.
Additionally, another four billion euros will be freed up through the planned special fund for infrastructure, as investments financed through new debt, for which funds were already prepared, will be made in this amount. The report suggests similar magnitude is expected in the coming years.