European Election Program
Program of the Alternative für Deutschland
for Election of the 9th European Parliament 2019
3.2 Defense and Security Policy
3.2.1 No EU Army
Europe will be defended by NATO. The AfD
therefore strictly rejects the creation of a European army since this disposes
no democratic legitimacy and would mean a further surrender of sovereignty of
the European states. And it would not solve the basic problems of European
defense.
Only the German Bundestag in the future may
decide over the commitment of the German armed forces. We reject the Permanent
Structured Cooperation (Pesco) as preliminary to an EU army, the redundant
structures of the EU (for example, battle groups and supplementary EU staff) as
well as a European defense fund and a European “peace facility”. The AfD
instead demands the strengthening of NATO’s European pillar and herein the
increase of Germany’s role and influence.
3.2.2 Reconstruction of the Bundeswehr’s
Mission Capability
Germany’s defense capability must be
reconstructed without delay. Initially, the most serious shortages and problems
concerning the present state of personnel and armament must be solved, the
current structures finally be filled and the armed forces again made ready for
the future. We demand the uninterrupted adaptation of the German defense budget
to NATO’s 2% goal. The fulfillment of this goal serves to renew our armed
forces’ mission capability. On this account is required the re-building of the
Bundeswehr to a size necessary for national and alliance defense, one which
also guarantees an unrestricted observance of its national duties in the areas
of disaster relief (Basic Law, Art. 35…), counter-terrorism (Basic Law, Art. 87…)
and cyber-defense. The securing of personnel fundamentals and more adequate
structures for the Bundeswehr will only be possible with the lifting of the
suspension of the defense duty [Wehrpflicht].
3.2.3 Maintenance of German and European
Defense Technology Industry
The AfD demands the maintenance of defense
technology capability, the securing of this high technology sector’s employment
positions, and planning security for German industry and our armed forces. Therefore
must be initiated, among others, a new defense technology program. In the area
of future armaments cooperation, we stand for the defense of German interests.
German key technologies must not be permitted to be sold off to third parties;
concerning which, there must be observed a balanced relation between the financing
and the allotted production in Germany. Germany must strive for systems
leadership in key capabilities.
[Translated by Todd Martin]
