France, Italy, and Spain have expressed their opposition to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposed “rearmament of Europe” plan, citing concerns over increasing debt obligations. This was reported by Politico, referencing European diplomats.
Previously, von der Leyen suggested raising €800 billion over four years to finance the EU’s military modernization. The funding was primarily expected to come from the budgets of European nations, with tax relief measures and the reallocation of regional development funds to military spending.
However, as Politico notes, Southern European countries, including France, Italy, and Spain, have opposed the initiative. A senior EU diplomat told the publication that some nations doubt the feasibility and necessity of significantly increasing their debt burdens.
The resistance from these countries poses a major challenge to von der Leyen’s ambitious plan to strengthen Europe’s military independence. According to Politico sources, the governments of Spain and Italy are hoping that the European Commission will soften its stance on defense-related financial commitments ahead of the upcoming EU summit in June.
