Germany’s Military Readiness Declines as Election Approaches

Despite Chancellor Scholz's promises to overhaul the armed forces, Germany's military preparedness has dropped to 50% as the country faces mounting geopolitical pressures.

• Germany's military readiness has declined from 65% to 50% since 2022, largely due to equipment and resources being sent to Ukraine and internal challenges.
• Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Zeitenwende initiative, aimed at modernizing the military with a $104 billion fund, has faced significant setbacks due to financial constraints and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
• Germany has failed to meet NATO commitments, including equipping and preparing two divisions by 2025 and 2027, with critical shortages in air defense, artillery, and drones.
• The upcoming February 23 election is expected to bring the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to power, led by Friedrich Merz, who advocates for streamlined European defense production and potentially reintroducing conscription.
• President Trump’s push for NATO members to increase defense spending to 3-5% of GDP and possible deals to end the Ukraine war could place additional demands on Germany’s underprepared military.

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Washington Examiner