Bundestag meeting to approve €3 billion for Ukraine closed early
Additional support for Ukraine was to be discussed in the German Bundestag, but the plenary session ended early due to inter-party disputes.
As reported by Die Welt, a party dispute over additional financial assistance to Ukraine led to the early closure of the Bundestag session last night. The vote on the proposal of the Free Democratic Party, in which the Free Democrats called for unplanned spending of up to €3 billion, led to the parliament's failure to make a decision after midnight.
The Alternative for Germany party, which opposes military support for Ukraine, questioned the Bundestag's quorum. This requires more than half of the 733 members of parliament to be present, which is never the case at night.
For example, only 320 MPs voted on the FDP's proposal on Ukraine, less than the required 50%. Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt then adjourned the plenary session, although the debate on the price of CO₂ emission allowances was still on the agenda.
The dispute over aid for Ukraine revolves around the manner in which the additional €3 billion will be funded. Chancellor Olaf Scholz intends to suspend the debt break for this purpose. The opposition CDU, FDP, and Greens, his remaining coalition allies, prefer to fund the weapons deliveries through unplanned budgetary expenditures.
A few hours before the plenary debate, the Bundestag Budget Committee had already agreed on a similar proposal. According to the CDU/CSU and FDP, their united plan was approved, while the SPD and Greens abstained.
Earlier, Spiegel reported that a dispute had supposedly arisen within the German government over an additional package of weapons for Ukraine worth about €3 billion.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius denied reports that Chancellor Olaf Scholz was allegedly blocking an additional package for Ukraine.
However, Scholz himself said that he opposes increasing the planned military aid to Ukraine if it requires cuts in other budget items.