Bundestag showdown: AfD pressures Left Party to challenge CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens

Alternative for Germany (AfD) has urged the Left Party to support the immediate convening of the newly elected Bundestag, arguing that the outgoing parliament should not be making decisions on critical financial policies. 

AfD MP Stefan Brandner made the appeal, highlighting that the two factions together hold more than a third of the seats in the new Bundestag, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“This means that, under Article 39 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany, we have the ability to ensure that the new Bundestag is convened without delay,” Brandner said, according to the AdG press service. He stressed that this step is necessary to prevent the dissolved Bundestag from approving extensive debt-raising measures proposed by the CDU/CSU, SPD, and the Greens.

“I call on members of the Left Party — despite our political differences — to uphold the voters’ will as expressed in the federal elections. By working together, we can prevent the political manoeuvres of the CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens from harming our democracy,” he added.

Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court recently rejected multiple petitions to block special sessions of the outgoing Bundestag, where lawmakers are set to discuss an amendment to the Basic Law that would permit significant new borrowing to fund defence expenditures. The AfD, the Left Party, and other political groups had filed urgent motions opposing these sessions, arguing that CDU leader and likely future chancellor Friedrich Merz is bypassing the new parliamentary majority to push his fiscal agenda.

On Friday, the CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens reached a compromise on modifying the Basic Law to allow increased borrowing for defence spending. Previously, the CDU/CSU and SPD had proposed easing the so-called debt brake, which restricts the government from running excessive deficits, to finance rising military expenditures. They also suggested establishing a €500 billion infrastructure fund. Under the proposal, military spending exceeding 1% of GDP would be exempt from debt brake limitations.

However, for the amendment to pass, it requires a two-thirds majority in parliament—a threshold unlikely to be reached in the new Bundestag due to opposition from the AdG and the Left Party. In contrast, the outgoing Bundestag could still secure the required votes if the CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens reach an agreement. A vote on the debt break relaxation and the proposed fund is scheduled for March 18.

By Tamilla Hasanova