Five lobbyists behind Germany's €500 billion rearmament plan 'Sparta 2.0'
Economist Moritz Schularick, president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy since 2023, is a key driver behind Germany's massive rearmament push. Along with four well-connected defense advocates, he calls for a 'historic' European rearmament under a German great power, benefiting its industry. Their plan, 'Sparta 2.0', envisions a €500 billion military buildup. Schularick helped intellectually prepare the constitutional amendment allowing the government to bypass the debt brake for unlimited weapons purchases. In June 2024, he co-published a rearmament appeal with conservative British historian Niall Ferguson in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, titled 'Germany didn't hear the shot', arguing for tripling German defense spending within ten years, financed by cuts to pension and social insurance systems.
Key facts
- Moritz Schularick is president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy since 2023.
- Schularick is a key driver behind Germany's rearmament push.
- The plan 'Sparta 2.0' calls for a €500 billion military buildup.
- Schularick helped prepare the constitutional amendment to bypass the debt brake for weapons purchases.
- In June 2024, Schularick and Niall Ferguson published a rearmament appeal in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
- The appeal argues for tripling German defense spending within ten years.
- Financing would come from cuts to pension and social insurance systems.
- The group consists of five well-connected defense advocates.
Entities
Institutions
- Kiel Institute for the World Economy
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
- Der Freitag
Locations
- Germany
- Europe