German minister slams France's 'insufficient' defense spending under NATO pledge

In an interview with public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, Wadephul addressed French President Emmanuel Macron's repeated advocacy for European strategic autonomy. "Anyone who talks about it needs to act accordingly in their own country," he stated, adding that "efforts in the French Republic have so far been insufficient to achieve this." The criticism comes as NATO members face pressure to meet their 2035 target of allocating five percent of GDP to defense spending.

Germany's spending contrasted with French constraints

Wadephul highlighted Germany's own efforts, including exempting most defense spending from constitutional debt limits and allocating over 500 billion euros for defense between 2025 and 2029. He acknowledged France's fiscal challenges, noting the country carries the EU's third-highest debt burden relative to GDP. "France, too, needs to do what we are doing here, to engage in difficult discussions to bring about investment capacity," he said, suggesting potential austerity measures in social sectors to free resources for defense.

Broader European responsibility and transatlantic context

The minister emphasized that his call extends beyond France to all European partners, stressing the need for "very open, very honest discussions" within the European family. "Anyone who talks about independence from the US today must first do their homework at home, and Europe still has a lot of work to do," he asserted. His comments reflect European efforts to strengthen defense capabilities amid uncertainty about long-term US commitment to NATO.

Strained Franco-German relations

Wadephul's criticism adds to a series of recent disagreements between Paris and Berlin, including disputes over Eurobonds, a next-generation fighter jet project, trade deals, and climate policy. A European diplomat recently told AFP that "the Franco-German axis isn't working," underscoring the challenges facing Europe's traditional engine of cooperation. For observers including Türkiye, which maintains its own complex relationship with European institutions, these strains carry implications for broader European defense architecture and NATO cohesion.