Germany's wariness of United States President Donald Trump's return to power is pushing its leadership toward a more autonomous European economic and defense strategy, amid looming US trade threats.
Germany and the European Union must show unity in the face of potential US tariffs under Trump, warned Germany's Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck, who called for increased investment in innovation and infrastructure to strengthen Europe's economic independence.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle News on Monday, Habeck, the Green Party's lead candidate for Germany's Feb 23 federal election, insisted that "the next Google has to come from Europe" as a leading principle.
"Europe is prepared, should the US impose tariffs," he said, adding that he hoped that would not be the case.
Discussing possible tariff-response options, he noted that Europe could impose "countermeasures that would affect the American economy, including the consumer sector", but warned that would be "the wrong way" to deal with Trump.
While noting that the EU could join forces and "arm wrestle" with the US, he stressed such confrontation would be counterproductive for both sides.
His preferred approach focuses on boosting tax incentives and investments, to ensure that outdated infrastructure can be revitalized in order to grow the economy and produce the technologies of the future in Europe and Germany.
Responding to questions about his proposed 3.5-percent GDP defense spending target and its relation to Trump's 5 percent NATO demand, Habeck maintained that his recommendation was based solely on what was urgent and necessary for Germany.
The vice chancellor pointed to Germany's current "security problem", noting underinvestment in its armed forces and overall defense capabilities.
"If there is a problem, it has to be solved," Habeck said. "I think Trump takes a completely different approach. He just throws out some number or other, and if we were at 5 percent now, he would say 9. That is not my way of thinking. It is simply necessary to do what has to be done, that is all."
Addressing strategies to counter the rising popularity of far-right parties like Alternative for Germany, or AfD, Habeck argued that democratic success would "weaken the seductive power of right-wing populism".
"If people see that cooperation and peaceable policies are successful, even those who are undecided will come on board," he said. "Politics is partly a kind of marketplace where success is always admired. So a progressive, democratic, liberal — I would say even a friendly — approach must always be more successful than the hate-filled approach (of the far-right AfD).
"That is what we are trying to promote, and the other parties will surely join in. But there have to be more and more who work toward success rather than destruction."
