According to the FSPL, rearmament represents the wrong economic approach. Huge sums are being channelled into the arms industry, but the expected economic boom would fail to materialise, says Becker. Not only economists but also the European Central Bank have recently warned against this, noting that economic growth remains low while the risk of inflation is high.
The production of military equipment would amount to both an economic and an ecological catastrophe, and this would divert funds away from the social sector, among others. Becker is calling for a serious, realistic and reflective public debate. He said that in what he described as the current climate of hysteria, in which billions are being allocated without a clear objective, it is essential to raise critical questions.
Even in this country, billions are set to be invested in defence in the coming years, and the platform says it remains unclear where this money is supposed to come from. Becker also questioned whether so-called dual-use projects, which alternate between military and civilian applications, are truly a priority. He described the concept of dual use as an extremely elastic term that he views with scepticism.
In the current geopolitical situation, Becker said that a coordinated approach among EU and NATO member states is lacking. He argued that if EU countries were to work more closely together in the military sphere, significant savings could be achieved, but that national interests continue to prevail. As a result, there is no real competition within the arms industry, leading to explosive costs.
He also rejected the idea that NATO would, in its current state, be left militarily vulnerable in the event of an immediate crisis, pointing to figures that suggest this not to be the case.
At the same time, Becker acknowledged that alongside measures for self-defence, diplomatic efforts are currently being made to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
