EU foreign policy by majority: where do Germany’s seven parties stand?

The statement in the quiz

The EU should take foreign policy decisions by majority vote, so that the agreement of every member state is no longer needed.

Background

EU foreign and security policy currently requires, as a rule, the agreement of all 27 member states, so a single country can block sanctions or joint statements.

Sources for the background: Council of the EU: Unanimity

At a glance

CDU/CSULeaning for
AfDAgainst
SPDFor
GreensFor
Die LinkeNot in manifesto
BSWLeaning against
FDPFor

ForLeaning forNeutral / mixedLeaning againstAgainstNot in manifesto

Party by party

CDU/CSU Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU)

Leaning for

Wants an EU that can act more effectively at home and abroad, with reformed institutions and working methods; the manifesto does not mention majority voting directly.

From the manifesto „EU nach innen und außen handlungsfähiger machen.“

Source: CDU/CSU manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 54

Since the election: In government, the 2025 coalition agreement explicitly backs wider use of majority voting in foreign policy decisions.

AfD Alternative for Germany

Against

Rejects transferring the EU’s common foreign and security policy from national governments to EU institutions.

From the manifesto „Die Vergemeinschaftung der Europäischen Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik (GASP) und des Europäischen Auswärtigen Dienstes … lehnt die AfD ab.“

Source: AfD manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 87

SPD Social Democratic Party

For

Wants majority voting to replace unanimity and sees a single country’s veto as outdated.

From the manifesto „das Einstimmigkeitsprinzip im Europäischen Rat und im Ministerrat durch die Einführung von Mehrheitsentscheidungen abzulösen“

Source: SPD manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 60

Greens Alliance 90/The Greens

For

Wants majority voting in all policy areas, including foreign and security policy.

From the manifesto „Dafür soll das Prinzip der Einstimmigkeit in allen Politikbereichen – auch in der Gemeinsamen Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik – durch Mehrheitsentscheidungen ersetzt werden.“

Source: Greens manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 143

Die Linke The Left (Die Linke)

Not in manifesto

The manifesto does not mention unanimity; it wants major decisions to be made by the European Parliament.

Source: Die Linke manifesto for the 2025 federal election

BSW BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance)

Leaning against

Opposes concentrating more power in the EU and wants powers handed back to the member states.

From the manifesto „Wir wollen keine weitere Zentralisierung von Macht bei der EU-Kommission, sondern eine Rückverlagerung von Kompetenzen in die Mitgliedstaaten.“

Source: BSW manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 8

FDP Free Democratic Party

For

Backs qualified majority voting in EU foreign and security policy.

From the manifesto „Wir Freie Demokraten setzen uns daher für qualifizierte Mehrheitsentscheidungen in der Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik der EU ein.“

Source: FDP manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 51

Positions are coded on five steps: for, leaning for, neutral or mixed, leaning against, against. A party whose manifesto says nothing on the statement is marked “not in manifesto”, and the quiz leaves the statement out of that party’s score. The coding method and its checks are on the method page.

Where do you stand on this one?

This is one of the statements in the German Party Spectrum Quiz. The whole quiz takes about five minutes and shows how your views split across the seven parties, plus your place on an economic and social map. No sign-up, and we never ask who you are.

Start the quiz