The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in Saxony fears a reduction in social benefits as a result of a sharp rise in military spending. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) wants to "sacrifice the welfare state in order to finance a rearmament program of historic proportions", explained Sabine Zimmermann, head of the BSW in Saxony. Those who invest billions in weapons would have to cut back on pensions, care and education. "That is anti-social and absolutely unacceptable."
Merz had said in the Bundesrat on Friday, with reference to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, that the time of the "peace dividend" was over. Zimmermann interpreted this statement as a planned restructuring of the welfare state. "The much-vaunted military threat and the associated debate about increasing federal security spending therefore plays perfectly into the hands of the neoliberal intention to dismantle the welfare state," said Zimmermann.
