Secrecy bombshell in the Bundestag: Billions for the Bundeswehr – government coalition halts arms reports! – Image: Xpert.Digital
Parliamentary oversight under attack: The decision to suspend arms reports
The controversial decision of the black-red governing coalition
The new governing coalition of the CDU/CSU and SPD has made a far-reaching decision in the Bundestag's Budget Committee that has drawn considerable criticism from opposition parties and security policy experts. The CDU/CSU-SPD majority decided to suspend key reporting requirements in the area of defense and armaments with immediate effect.
The controversial measure particularly affects the latest arms report as well as other defense-related reports, including the Ministry of Defense's report on accelerating and optimizing procurement within the Bundeswehr and the report on the transfer of Bundeswehr materiel and equipment to Ukraine. This decision was made against the votes of all opposition parties, including the AfD, the Greens, and the Left Party.
Background to parliamentary reporting obligations
The reports in question are traditionally important instruments of parliamentary oversight. The Ministry of Defence's armaments report typically focuses on key armaments projects and serves as a platform for dialogue between the Ministry and Parliament. This regular reporting enables members of parliament to monitor developments in the defence sector and exercise their oversight function.
The parliamentary system of the Federal Republic of Germany is based on the principle of a parliamentary army, according to which the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) is subject to democratic control by the Bundestag (Federal Parliament). This control includes not only budgetary authority but also comprehensive rights to information about the activities of the armed forces and their procurement. The Budget Committee acts as a kind of supreme auditor of the Federal Government within Parliament and has the right to be informed about all defense investments exceeding 25 million euros.
The new financial architecture of defense
The coalition's decision takes place in a particular political context. Following the Russian attack on Ukraine, Germany initiated a comprehensive realignment of its security policy, described as a "turning point." This includes massive investments in the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces), financed by a 100-billion-euro special fund and continuously increasing defense budgets.
According to current plans, the defense budget is set to increase from approximately €52 billion in 2024 to €62.43 billion in 2025. For 2025, a total of more than €86 billion is earmarked for the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) when funds from the special fund are included. The key figures for the coming years foresee further drastic increases: €82.69 billion in 2026, €93.35 billion in 2027, €136.48 billion in 2028, and €152.83 billion in 2029.
These enormous increases in spending are made possible by an amendment to the Basic Law that exempts defense spending from the debt brake rules. Minister Boris Pistorius formulated this new prioritization with the words: “The threat situation takes precedence over the state of the finances.”.
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Criticism from the opposition and concerns about transparency
The opposition sharply criticizes the suspension of reporting requirements as an attack on parliamentary oversight. Sebastian Schäfer, budget policy spokesperson for the Green Party, summed up the criticism: “Due to the constitutional amendments, there is no longer a spending limit for defense, yet at the same time all reports are to be abolished. What the coalition is doing here is not reducing bureaucracy, but a massive dismantling of parliamentary control.”.
Critics find the timing of the decision particularly problematic. It had originally been agreed that the question of which reports to eliminate would only be addressed at the next committee meeting, in order to allow for an objective debate on the necessity of individual reporting obligations. Instead, the center-right/center-left coalition unexpectedly submitted its motion on Wednesday afternoon and pushed it through against the opposition's resistance.
Dietmar Bartsch, budget policy spokesperson for the Left Party, described this approach as "very, very unusual" and criticized the fact that the opposition's demands had not been accepted by the new coalition. The opposition feels deliberately kept in the dark and laments the lack of a substantive debate about the purpose and necessity of individual reporting obligations.
Problems with arms procurement
The suspension of reporting requirements comes at a time when the German Armed Forces are experiencing significant problems procuring equipment and weapons. Studies show that all reforms aimed at improving procurement since the "turning point" have largely failed. Experts criticize that between 35 and 45 billion euros of the special fund could be lost to inefficient procurement practices.
Concrete examples of procurement problems are piling up: Only 58,850 of the planned 72,200 sets of combat clothing were delivered; only 81,000 of the planned 105,000 body armor and splinter-proof underwear were delivered; and only 62,684 of the ordered 82,596 combat helmets arrived at the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces). These problems are attributed to supplier bankruptcies, unusually high rates of sick leave, and quality issues.
One particularly spectacular case involved the new digital radios from Rohde & Schwarz, worth €1.3 billion, some of which are incompatible with the Bundeswehr's vehicle types and whose battery power is insufficient for radio operation. Such mishaps raise fundamental questions about the coordination and efficiency of procurement processes.
Defense Minister Pistorius under pressure
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the only minister from the previous coalition government to remain in the new Merz cabinet, is facing increasing pressure. Although he initially enjoyed high approval ratings in polls and was considered "Germany's most popular politician," criticism of his performance in office is mounting.
Pistorius, who has been Defense Minister since January 2023, had vehemently advocated for the modernization of the Bundeswehr and expressed his regret to members of the German armed forces in an open letter regarding what he considered unsatisfactory budget planning. However, his efforts to modernize the Bundeswehr are overshadowed by persistent procurement problems.
Since taking office, the minister has been reluctant to reveal his hand using concrete figures, which casts the recent decision to suspend reporting obligations in a particular light. The armaments reports, which will no longer be submitted, would normally have provided detailed insights into the efficiency of spending under his responsibility.
International commitments and aid to Ukraine
In parallel with the suspension of reporting obligations, Germany has massively expanded its military support for Ukraine. During a visit by the Ukrainian Defense Minister, Pistorius pledged approximately five billion euros in aid to Ukraine. These funds are intended, among other things, to finance the production of long-range weapons systems within Ukraine itself.
Germany is also supplying Ukraine with additional air defense systems, ammunition, land weapon systems, and small arms. Systems already delivered include more than 1,100 ground surveillance radar systems and additional IRIS-T surface-to-air missile systems. These extensive arms deliveries are taking place against the backdrop of intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
However, the lack of reporting on the “transfer of Bundeswehr material and equipment to Ukraine” makes it more difficult for parliament to oversee and assess the dimensions and impact of this support.
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Bureaucracy reduction or loss of power? Parliament loses insight into defense spending
Structural challenges of parliamentary control
The decision by the center-right/center-left coalition raises fundamental questions about the future of parliamentary oversight in the defense sector. Germany has traditionally had a strong system of parliamentary oversight of the armed forces through the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces. The Commissioner acts as an auxiliary body to the Bundestag in its parliamentary oversight and is responsible for protecting the fundamental rights of soldiers.
The Basic Law grants the Bundestag special rights in the parliamentary oversight of the armed forces, including budgetary authority and comprehensive rights to information. This oversight is intended to be both preventive, in the sense of prior intervention, and ongoing, including aftermath. The suspension of key reporting obligations significantly weakens these oversight mechanisms.
Experts warn that the integration of the German armed forces into international structures is already putting parliamentary oversight mechanisms under pressure. The recent decision to reduce reporting requirements reinforces this trend and could lead to a further weakening of democratic control over the armed forces.
Arms export control and transparency
Another critical aspect of the reduced reporting requirements concerns the control of arms exports. In a landmark ruling in 2014, the Federal Constitutional Court decided that the Federal Government is obligated to inform members of parliament when the Federal Security Council has approved a specific arms export deal.
Under the leadership of the Green Party, however, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has already restricted the transparency of German arms exports. Despite the high volume of German arms exports, only eight letters containing export decisions reached the Bundestag. Promises of more timely reporting on arms exports have also not been kept.
The Joint Conference Church and Development (GKKE) criticizes in its 2023 arms export report that the German government has made more of a step backward than forward on the issue of transparency. The organization calls on the government to once again submit its annual arms export report before the summer recess, as was customary under the previous grand coalition.
Bureaucracy reduction as justification
The coalition of the CDU/CSU and SPD justifies its approach with the goal of reducing bureaucracy. Indeed, reducing bureaucracy is a key priority for the new federal government. The coalition agreement stipulates the development of a modernization agenda by the end of 2025 and the launch of an immediate program to relieve the burden on citizens and businesses.
Studies show that excessive bureaucracy costs Germany up to €146 billion in lost economic output annually. Administrative digitization is progressing slowly, and roughly half of all companies give the digitization of public administration a failing grade (5 or 6).
However, it is questionable whether suspending reports that serve parliamentary oversight can truly be considered a meaningful reduction in bureaucracy. While these reports do create extra work for the ministries, they fulfill an important democratic function. Eliminating them means not only less bureaucracy, but also less transparency and accountability.
Impact on the budget negotiations
The decision to suspend reporting requirements has a direct impact on the budget deliberations. The Budget Committee of the Bundestag must normally approve every arms procurement contract exceeding 25 million euros. Without the corresponding reports, however, members of parliament lack crucial information for their decisions.
As early as December 2024, the Budget Committee had approved armaments projects worth more than €20 billion. Among the approved projects were four additional Type 212 CD submarines for €4.7 billion, as well as various other projects for the Navy, Army, and Air Force. These decisions were made under the previous government and with full reporting.
The new practice of reduced reporting requirements could negatively impact the quality of parliamentary decisions. Members of Parliament have less information available to assess the necessity and effectiveness of planned defense spending.
International comparisons and standards
In international comparison, Germany has relatively strong parliamentary oversight mechanisms for its armed forces. The Bundestag's primary power is to approve or reject the deployment of German armed forces abroad. This power stems from a 1994 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
However, proposals have already been made to make parliamentary authorization mechanisms more flexible in order to improve the participation of German armed forces in allied or European integrated military agreements. These initiatives have not been pursued further so far, but they show that the trend towards a relaxation of parliamentary control is also evident in other areas.
The current decision to reduce reporting requirements fits into this trend and could bring Germany closer to the control standards of other countries that traditionally have weaker parliamentary oversight mechanisms.
Future prospects and possible consequences
The long-term consequences of suspending arms reports are not yet fully foreseeable. The opposition has already announced that it will not accept this decision without a fight. It is possible that individual members of parliament or parliamentary groups will attempt to obtain the necessary information through other parliamentary instruments, such as written and oral questions.
The decision could also have repercussions for the public debate on defense spending. Without regular reports on armaments projects and their progress, it will become more difficult for the media, experts, and the public to assess the effectiveness of the massive investments in the German armed forces.
The lack of reporting on aid to Ukraine could have particularly critical consequences. German support for Ukraine is an important element of foreign and security policy, and the public has a legitimate interest in being informed about the scope and nature of this aid.
Need for reform in procurement
The German Armed Forces' procurement problems are not new, but have been exacerbated by the "turning point" in military policy and the massive increases in spending. The Federal Armed Forces Procurement Acceleration Act, passed in 2022, was intended to bring improvements, but in practice, significant shortcomings continue to be evident.
The president of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), Annette Lehnigk-Emden, accuses the arms industry of being unwilling to ramp up production quickly enough. At the same time, she criticizes the fact that the industry sometimes faces stronger bureaucratic constraints than the Bundeswehr itself. These mutual recriminations between the ministry and industry highlight the structural problems of the system.
Experts are calling for a fundamental reform of procurement. Frank Sauer of the Metis Institute for Strategy and Foresight calls the system "ossified" and emphasizes the urgent need for reform. However, without transparent reporting, it will be more difficult to assess the necessity and success of such reforms.
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Democratic legitimacy and trust
The suspension of the arms reports raises fundamental questions about the democratic legitimacy of massive defense spending. In a parliamentary democracy, large government spending programs should be subject to continuous parliamentary oversight and public debate.
The “turning point” in German security policy was a reaction to changing threat landscapes, particularly the Russian attack on Ukraine. This realignment enjoyed broad political and social support. However, this support can only be sustained if the public remains informed about the use of the substantial financial resources.
Trust in the efficiency of government spending is a crucial factor for democratic legitimacy. Without transparent reporting on the progress and problems of defense projects, this trust is at risk of eroding. The procurement problems already becoming apparent exacerbate this risk.
The decision by the center-right/center-left coalition to suspend key reporting requirements in the defense sector thus represents more than just an administrative measure to reduce bureaucracy. It touches upon fundamental questions of parliamentary democracy, the separation of powers, and the checks and balances of state power. The long-term consequences of this decision will depend significantly on whether alternative mechanisms for transparency and oversight can be developed, or whether it leads to a lasting weakening of democratic oversight of one of the most important areas of government activity.
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