There is growing resistance within the center-right and social democratic coalition to the government’s plan to bring the authorization for deploying the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) to the Strait of Hormuz before the summer recess in the Bundestag.
According to sources within the coalition, the State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Géza Andreas von Geyr, and Parliamentary State Secretary in the Defense Ministry, Sebastian Hartmann (SPD), briefed members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Defense Committee last Wednesday afternoon on the plan. They emphasized the urgency, stating that Germany wishes to signal its transatlantic solidarity ahead of the NATO Summit scheduled for July 7th and 8th. Germany has already dispatched the minesweeping vessel “Fulda” and the supply ship “Mosel” to the Eastern Mediterranean.
However, members of both the CDU and SPD expressed during the briefings that they were not yet aware of the agreement between the United States and Iran. They stressed that the conflicts between the parties must be definitively ended and that the safety of German troops must be guaranteed. To ensure this, they argued that it needs to be determined which other nations would participate and what military contributions they would make. Furthermore, they insisted that a viable foundation in international law and consent from Iran are essential prerequisites before the parliament can approve the mandate.
Earlier, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had stated that the federal government is willing to ensure a ceasefire or pause in hostilities and was preparing a corresponding mandate text. Previously, the standard position had demanded a peace accord and a mandate from the United Nations.
The government now proposes grounding the action in a UN Resolution adopted on March 11th, which was introduced by Bahrain. This text references the Strait of Hormuz in several sections and reaffirms that UN member states have the right, under international law, to “defend their ships against attacks and provocations, including those that undermine the rights and freedoms of navigation.” However, this basis is considered questionable within the coalition factions. The opposition has already been vocal; Agnieszka Brugger, the deputy chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group, had previously warned the government against being given a “blank check.”
