German lawmakers approve huge defense and infrastructure spending

German lawmakers approve huge defense and infrastructure spending toggle caption Ebrahim Noroozi/AP BERLIN — Germany's would-be next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, won lawmakers' approval Tuesday for ambitious plans to loosen the nation's strict debt rules for higher defense spending as doubts mount about the strength of the trans-Atlantic alliance, and to set up an enormous fund for investment in its creaking infrastructure. Sponsor Message Easing off the brake The plans needed a two-thirds majority of at least 489 votes in parliament's lower house, the Bundestag, because they involve changes to Germany's strict self-imposed borrowing rules — the so-called "debt brake," which allows new borrowing worth only 0.35% of annual gross domestic product and is anchored in the constitution. Merz said the prospective German government's move should be "the first step toward a new European defense community," which could include countries outside the European Union such as Britain and Norway. Sponsor Message "A politician's greatest asset is credibility and with this embarrassing action, dear Mr. Merz, you have already squandered yours completely," Alternative for Germany co-leader Tino Chrupalla said.