Foreign policy & defence
The statement in the quiz
Germany should keep its defence budget at 2% of GDP or more for the long term.
Background
At its 2025 summit in The Hague, NATO agreed that defence and related spending should reach 5% of GDP by 2035, with at least 3.5% on core defence. The German government plans to reach 3.5% as early as 2029.
Sources for the background: NATO: The Hague Summit Declaration (25 June 2025)
ForLeaning forNeutral / mixedLeaning againstAgainstNot in manifesto
Treats NATO’s 2% target as only the floor for defence spending.
From the manifesto „Wir verstehen das aktuelle Zwei-Prozent-Ziel der NATO als Untergrenze unserer Verteidigungsausgaben“Source: CDU/CSU manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 52
Criticises decades of underfunding of the Bundeswehr but names no percentage.
From the manifesto „Aufgrund der chronischen Unterfinanzierung über Jahrzehnte“Source: AfD manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 89
Wants defence funding of at least 2% of GDP for the long term.
From the manifesto „Wir setzen uns daher auch zukünftig für eine nachhaltige Verteidigungsfinanzierung von mindestens zwei Prozent des BIP ein.“Source: SPD manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 57
Wants to spend well over 2% of GDP on defence for the long term.
From the manifesto „dauerhaft deutlich mehr als 2 Prozent des Bruttoinlandsprodukts in unsere Sicherheit und Verteidigungsfähigkeit investiert“Source: Greens manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 152
Rejects NATO’s arms target of 2% of GDP or higher.
From the manifesto „Das Aufrüstungsziel der NATO auf 2 Prozent des BIP oder noch mehr lehnen wir ab.“Source: Die Linke manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 23
Opposes higher military spending and the 2% target.
From the manifesto „Wir lehnen höhere Militärausgaben ab“Source: BSW manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 6
Wants at least 2%, and to follow suit if NATO raises its target.
From the manifesto „Hierzu gehört, dass Deutschland mindestens das 2%-Ziel der NATO erfüllt.“Source: FDP manifesto for the 2025 federal election, PDF page 48
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.
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.
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Manifesto coding and background checked: 27 September 2026 Update log