German Political Party, SPD, Expresses Opposition to Equipping German Military Drones with Weapons
Germany's Drones Debate: A Contentious Coalition Rift
As of mid-2025, the ruling coalition in Berlin is embroiled in a contentious dispute over the arming of drones for the German military. The dispute, which has been ongoing for much of the year, involves key figures like Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (former CDU defense minister), Norbert Walter-Borjans (SPD), and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The core issues surrounding the debate revolve around fiscal and legal constraints, political resistance within the SPD, Kramp-Karrenbauer’s position, strategic context, and coalition dynamics.
Germany’s strict "debt brake" and constitutional limits on new military spending act as major obstacles to expanding defense budgets necessary for acquiring armed drones and other advanced systems. The SPD, led by Walter-Borjans, has typically resisted rapid militarization steps, including the deployment of offensive drone systems, due to a mix of fiscal prudence, public opinion doubts, and a strategic preference for cautious involvement in conflicts.
Kramp-Karrenbauer, as a former defense minister from the CDU, has pushed for stronger military capabilities, including drone armament, arguing for the need to modernize Germany’s armed forces to meet NATO expectations and ensure national security. However, her stance has met resistance within the coalition, especially from SPD leaders.
The strategic context of Germany supporting drone use indirectly via aid to Ukraine, including long-range strike drones and cruise missiles, is more controversial when it comes to internal use of armed drones within Germany's own military. The deployment of these new weapons within the country's military is a debated topic.
The dispute reflects broader tensions in the coalition between the CDU/CSU and SPD over how aggressively to pursue military rearmament and arm drones, amid concerns about becoming more directly involved in offensive military capabilities.
In the heart of the debate, Walter-Borjans has expressed concerns about ethics and the potential for killing via joystick. He argues that both security needs and ethics must be taken seriously in the debate. He is critical of the arming of drones for the German military and accuses Kramp-Karrenbauer of creating facts in arms policy by focusing on other priorities.
Walter-Borjans has placed a hold on the armament project, and the deployment of these new weapons has not yet been approved, despite discussions taking place this year. SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz is currently reviewing a procurement draft for arming drones in the Ministry of Finance.
The dispute has been primarily between Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD). The debates on the deployment of these new weapons took place in a smaller and predominantly digital format due to the pandemic. The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" is reporting on this dispute within the ruling coalition.
Walter-Borjans is supported by large parts of the SPD membership and many peace-politically engaged groups in society. The arming of drones for the German military is at risk of stalling due to resistance from the Social Democrats.
In conclusion, the dispute over the arming of drones for the German military remains unresolved and contentious, with Kramp-Karrenbauer advocating for advances while Scholz and Walter-Borjans take a more restrained and fiscally cautious approach, reflecting broader political and constitutional constraints on Germany’s military expansion.
Other political debates, like policy-and-legislation regarding drone use, have gained prominence in general-news discussions, following the contentious coalition rift over the arming of drones for Germany's military. The ongoing dispute between Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the Social Democrats, led by Norbert Walter-Borjans, highlights war-and-conflicts-related issues and the ethical considerations of armed drones in the discussions of politics and politics-in-Germany.
