The German government aims to be equipped to act quickly should the planned international military intervention aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz begin soon. According to information obtained by “Spiegel,” the Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Defence have prepared draft text for a possible mandate from the German Parliament (Bundestag). The cabinet could approve this text as early as next week, provided the government leadership makes the necessary political determination by then. The final decision, however, rests with the Bundestag, which must approve the deployment with a simple majority.
Previously, Friedrich Merz of the CDU had stated that an international mandate was a prerequisite for sending German soldiers, ideally a resolution issued by the UN Security Council. However, a swift resolution for an international security mission is currently not anticipated. New or modified EU mandates, which could serve as an alternative, are also unlikely to be established within a few days.
For this reason, the involved ministries are recommending that the government relies on a UN resolution adopted on March 11, which originated in Bahrain. This document references the Strait of Hormuz several times, reinforcing that UN member states have the right, under international law, to “defend their ships against attacks and provocations, including such acts that undermine the rights and freedoms of shipping.” The German government considers this resolution sufficient as a legal basis for establishing a mandate in the Bundestag.
Furthermore, the government intends to limit its potential involvement to mine-clearing operations. Deployment of armed specialized teams to ensure the security of civilian ships is not included in the current scope of the mandate. The coalition factions are scheduled to be introduced to these plans this Wednesday, and according to “Spiegel,” the party leaders of both the CDU/CSU and the SPD have already been informed.
