In the governing CDU‑CSU and SPD coalition, doubts are growing about whether the German federal government can continue to grant unrestricted use of the U.S. air base at Ramstein for the war against Iran.
“The legal assessment by the government regarding the conflict with Iran is still unfinished” said SPD foreign‑policy spokesperson Adis Ahmetovic in an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. He added that, from the SPD’s perspective and that of most international‑law experts, the attack on Iran violates international law. “If the government were to adopt this view, courts could potentially decide whether the use of Ramstein in connection with this war must be prohibited” he said.
The federal government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), has so far opposed any restriction or refusal of necessary overflight rights. The basis for the Ramstein arrangement is the Stationing Law, codified in the Status Agreement of 23 October 1954. The treaties ending German division confirmed the continuation of this agreement. Additional agreements are contained in the NATO Troop Statute. A previous assessment by the Scientific Service of the Bundestag indicated that both the Status Agreement and the NATO Troop Statute could be terminated, but that the withdrawal of military presence from Ramstein would only be possible after a two‑year notice period.
Sören Pellmann, chair of the Left’s parliamentary group, told the newspaper that to avoid providing assistance to the illegal war of the United States and Israel against Iran, the Left opposes the use of the U.S. air base at Ramstein. Referring to the Bundestag’s Scientific Service, Pellmann said that Germany could “unilaterally terminate the status agreement in accordance with international law”.
Thus, while the coalition government maintains that the Ramstein base should remain available for necessary flight paths, opposition parties and legal experts question the legality of such use in the context of the Iran conflict, pointing to potential legal challenges that could force a halt to the base’s involvement.
