Merz defends higher defence spending and warns about AfD gains

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended the sharp rise in defence spending and rejected calls to scale back planned purchases after his summer interview with ARD on Sunday, 30 August 2026. He argued cuts would shift the financial burden onto citizens and warned that security had to remain a political priority.

Merz said the country must make up for equipment shortfalls accumulated over the past 15 years: "We have to correct the deficits of the last 15 years," he said, warning that "the Bundeswehr is not where it should be" and that Germany must be able to defend itself. At the same time he urged that modernisation programmes be carried out "much more economically" and pointed to cooperation with Ukraine as an example of how production costs can be reduced.

Leipzig incident and a coordinated response

Asked about the drone incident at Leipzig airport on 4 August — when an explosive-laden unmanned aircraft fell close to Ukrainian transport planes — Merz said the government would react "in the coming days". He added that any reaction would be "finally aligned with the European Union and with partners in NATO" and that Germany's allies should not be "surprised" by the measures.

Turning to domestic political risks, Merz warned of the consequences if Alternative for Germany (AfD) performs well in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on 6 September 2026. The AfD is classified by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as right‑wing extremist; polls show it could become the largest party and even aim for an absolute majority. "The state will suffer significant damage if what we now fear happens," Merz said, adding that he could not imagine international investors establishing new factories with an AfD premier in charge. He stressed, however, that the final decision rests with voters.

When a journalist recalled that Merz had previously said under his leadership AfD results would be halved, the chancellor replied that he had not said that "always", but "the last time in 2018" — a reference to his unsuccessful bid for the CDU chair in November 2018, when he campaigned on curbing AfD support amid the migration crisis.

After the TV interview Merz also answered questions via ARD's online platforms, expressing scepticism about initiating a formal party ban against AfD. He said he would not close himself to demands that "at least the so‑called ethno‑nationalist wing of the AfD be banned," but added that the legal conditions for banning a political party in Germany are "very, very strict." On the question of Germany's next president — Frank‑Walter Steinmeier's term ends in mid‑March 2027 and the Federal Convention will vote on 30 January 2027 — Merz said "It is no secret that I have many sympathies for that idea," while emphasising that what matters most is a head of state who can unite society; he mentioned several women within the Union as possible candidates.

Photo: press material from the event