by ResistNato&alpas
The following is a copyedited version of the March 22, 2025, statement of Alpas Pilipinas and the Resist NATO Campaign about the massive armament and propaganda campaign in imperialist Europe — and especially in the Federal Republic of Germany — which has been directed against Russia. It ends with a call to action in June in The Hague, Netherlands.
On March 18, 2025, the Bundestag [lower house of the German Parliament] voted to change the German constitution to allow unlimited debt for military spending. A majority of the “old” parliamentarians, who were voted out Feb. 23, exposed their plans to expand German imperialism by preparing the country for war at the expense of its residents.
The Bundestag has set aside a 500 billion euro ($544 billion) special fund for “infrastructure,” meaning the military. Instead of investing in basic needs and public social services like schools, hospitals and smaller initiatives that uphold social welfare, Germany is investing in anti-social warfare.
Although Christian Democratic Union leader and likely next Chancellor Joachim-Friedrich Merz claims this fund is to “defend” Germany from Russian attack and the need for NATO, the German government is playing into the hands of (1) weapons companies seizing the billion-dollar cash-in from the arms race, and (2) U.S. imperialism that has turned its attention to the Asia-Pacific region in its preparation for war with China.
The law is a pathway to weaponize public spending — a service that won’t be returned. Imperialist countries fuel global conflict, colonialism and conquest by supplying weapons, exploiting land and resources and forcing people from their homes. All the while, they use migrants as easy scapegoats to gain votes and at the same time profit off the backs of exploited migrant workers. Out of proportion with the growing inflation, salaries won’t rise, and several sectors are on strike due to burnout of health care workers and loss of public funding. We will not bow down.
Yet military facilities grow. Volkswagen factories’ management are resuming conversations with weapons factory supplier Rheinmetall to repurpose the car factories into military infrastructure for production. These are the same factories once used to fuel the war economy of Germany in the 1930s.
The people suffer from militarism
While millions of euros are spent on “defense,” the everyday people will suffer. In Berlin and across Germany, cuts to social services, education, health care and welfare programs leave many people unsupported — especially working people, migrants, women, LGBTQIA+ people and children.
Rather than seeking solutions to the root causes of violence on the continent, Germany is playing a leading role in militarizing the European Union for the benefit of the arms industry.
These cracks in the U.S.-led NATO alliance are an opportunity for the anti-war, anti-fascist and pro-people movements to expose the German parties and NATO for their fundamental role in causing instability and violence across the world, from Palestine to the Philippines.
At the same time as the vote, people gathered across Germany to raise their voices against Germany’s warmongering and further militarization. Let us unite against our primary enemy, U.S. imperialism and its European lackeys.
We oppose Germany’s imperialist expansion of the war machine! We call on all anti-war, anti-fascist and peace-loving people to join the RESIST NATO 2025 Campaign.
The organizations of Resist NATO 2025 are conducting an education and mobilization campaign to mount mass opposition from across Europe and around the world to directly confront the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, happening this coming June.
Calls to Action:
- Sign on to the RESIST NATO 2025 Campaign! Visit the campaign webpage to do this.
- Mobilize for the people’s counter summit and protest in The Hague in June! Date and logistical announcements coming soon!
- Join us in building RESIST NATO Germany to expose Germany’s role!