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Politico (12 November 2025)

Chris Lunday, Jacopo Barigazzi, Laura Kayali, Paul McLeary and Jan Cienski

For decades, the European Union ran on an unspoken understanding: Germany handled the money, France handled the military. Now, the tables are turning.

As Germany aims to become Europe’s predominant military power, the political balance is shifting. In France, there’s a scramble to stay relevant, while in Poland, Germany’s rearmament is stirring old ghosts and creating a sense that a Berlin-Warsaw alliance might be the most effective way to keep Russia at bay.

“Everywhere I go in the world, from the Baltics to Asia, people are asking Germany to take on more responsibility,” said Christoph Schmid, a German Social Democratic lawmaker on the Bundestag’s defense committee. “The expectation is that Germany will finally step up and match its economic weight with defense power.”

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