Prominent representatives of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) have signed a manifesto calling for diplomatic talks with Russia, DPA reported. According to the agency, this represents a confrontation with the defense policy of the coalition government, in which the SPD is the junior partner, writes BTA.
The document, provided to DPA and signed by more than 100 people, regrets the "compulsion to increase armaments and prepare for a presumed imminent war".
"The rhetoric of war alarm and the huge armament programs do not create more security for Germany and Europe, but lead to destabilization and an increase in the mutual sense of threat between NATO and Russia," the document says.
While it is not clear whether all the signatories are SPD members, they include prominent party figures such as former parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, former party leader Norbert Walter-Borjans and foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner, as well as several federal and provincial deputies.
The document, titled "Manifesto", is likely to spark debate at the SPD party conference scheduled for later this month, where the party is due to elect a new leader after its poor performance in February's parliamentary elections.
Having previously led a three-party coalition, the SPD has been pushed into third place behind the conservative Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union bloc and the far-right Alternative for Germany.
The party conference will be preceded by a NATO summit in The Hague, where member states are expected to agree on a significant increase in defense spending.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has conservative views, is pushing for a new target – NATO members to spend at least 3.5% of their gross domestic product on defense and a further 1.5% on infrastructure.
The signatories to the manifesto call for a "return to dialogue with Russia". They argue that genuine confidence-building measures must be preceded by a cautious resumption of diplomatic contacts.
They also oppose the deployment of new US medium-range missiles in Germany, as well as raising NATO defense spending to the target advocated by Merz.