Key facts
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged greater public support for Ukraine and NATO.
- The AfD won 43.8% in the regional election in Saxony-Anhalt.
- Wadephul warned that Democrats must be ready to defend their system, referencing the Weimar Republic.
- AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund stated that Germany was 'giving away money all over the world' to Ukraine.
- Germany is set to spend roughly €140 billion on defense next year.
- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte spoke at the same conference, backing Wadephul's message.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday urged officials to do more to convince voters of the necessity of continued support for Ukraine and Germany's commitments to NATO. Speaking at a conference of German ambassadors in Berlin, Wadephul described NATO as undergoing a "political stress test" from both external threats and domestic skepticism, which he said had become "visible and tangible" in recent state elections.
Wadephul's appeal comes in the wake of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's strong performance in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election, where it secured 43.8% of the vote, more than doubling its previous result and leaving Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats in a distant second place with 17.2%.
The Foreign Minister argued that Germany should not retreat from its international commitments but instead improve its communication about their importance. He drew a historical parallel to the Weimar Republic, stating, "Germany knows from the Weimar Republic what could happen if Democrats are not ready to defend their system." The Weimar Republic, Germany's first parliamentary democracy, was ultimately undermined by economic crisis, political paralysis, and the rise of anti-democratic forces.
During the campaign, AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund had argued that funds spent abroad were needed domestically, telling regional broadcaster MDR that "Every minute, €20,000 goes to Ukraine. That is all money we are missing." This message is contributing to a difficult "guns-versus-butter" debate in Berlin as the coalition government negotiates the 2027 budget. Germany is projected to spend approximately €140 billion on defense next year, a figure comparable to the federal contribution to the pension system, and significantly higher than the €50 billion spent on defense in 2022.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, speaking at the same conference, supported Wadephul's message, emphasizing that Germany's choices have implications beyond its borders. He stated, "I count on every one of you in this room to carry that message with you: that a stronger Germany makes Europe stronger, that a stronger Europe makes NATO stronger." Rutte also downplayed concerns that electoral gains by far-right parties could weaken the alliance, asserting that NATO would work with "whoever is elected."