Germany's decision to suspend all weapons exports to Saudi Arabia last year had knock-on effects for its European allies
at the top of German politics, what does Angela Merkel regret? Asked this question at the Munich Security Conference on February 16th, the chancellor—rather than rueing her decisions on refugees or euro-zone reform—declared herself “greatly concerned” about Germany’s inability to harmonise its policy on arms exports with its European allies.
The chancellor had two audiences in mind. The first was France, which resents Germany’s tight export rules. The second was Germany’s Social Democratic Party, which governs in coalition with Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats and resists relaxing those rules. Put simply, the chancellor is trapped between her closest ally and her governing partner.
France and Britain view arms sales as a tool of foreign policy, and governments often back their firms’ export efforts. Germany gives priority to human rights. Under rules dating from 2000, German arms exports are supposed to be limited largely tomembers and their allies. In practice regulators have often adopted a more relaxed attitude; big customers over the past decade have included Algeria, Qatar and Egypt as well as the Saudis.
Yet since 2013, says François Heisbourg, a Paris-based defence analyst, “chaos has replaced order” in German decision-making. That upsets domestic manufacturers, who have been tempted to establish subsidiaries overseas. And it infuriates allies who demand predictability. French concerns centre on proposed joint projects like the Future Combat Air System and a next-generation tank. Bruno Le Maire, France’s finance minister, fears Germany’s export rules could render such plans “useless”.
Ursula von der Leyen, Mrs Merkel’s defence minister, told the Munich crowd that Germany must not act as if it occupies a higher moral plane than the British or French. Yet Sophia Besch at the Centre for European Reform says German sceptics are more likely to be convinced by arguments couched in European terms. Cross-border co-operation on defence and security offers the best chance to kick-start Europe’s stalled integration.
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