Von der Leyen: “Suspend budget rules for defence spending”

Brussels – Suspension of common budget rules, but only as far as defence is concerned: the European Union revolution can begin. As per script, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, plays the announcement card. She does not specify when, but in the meantime, she prepares her audience: “I will propose to activate the safeguard clause for defence investments,” she reveals to the Munich safety conference audience. No stability pact with any of its standards or parameters for those who stimulate heavy industry.

“During the pandemic, we activated the safeguard clause because we were in a crisis. I believe that we are in another period of crisis,” von der Leyen continued, concerned about the Russian-Ukrainian war and a Europe that is behind in the arms race, a need moreover not new but only revived by the global deterioration of recent years.

Green light to public defence spending, and away with the EU’s Nobel-prize-winning, badly aged peacekeeping mission. Times change, and with them so does the EU. Where, on the contrary, certain logics—those of budgetary discipline in particular—never change. Von der Leyen assures and reassures the proponents of spending discipline, starting with “her” Germany, that the activation of the safeguard clause for public investment in defence “will take place in a controlled manner.” So much so that, she anticipates, “we will propose a broad package of measures to achieve this, and tailor-made policies and instruments to respond to the specific budgetary situation of each member state.”

We can’t do without it, von der Leyen continues. “There are clear attempts by some to create spheres of influence,” she says without naming names but hinting at them, “Europe must be smart in these times and respond to the challenges of our borders and our security.”