Luxembourg increased its budget from €172 million to €600 million. The financial contribution goes to an international military programme that the Grand Duchy has been involved in since 2016. Eight military transport aircrafts (type A330) have already been purchased. Luxembourg's increased contribution will namely be used to purchase an additional aircraft for the NATO fleet.
The project was met with criticism at the Chamber of Deputies last Thursday. It nevertheless received the green light as the parties forming the coalition government as well as opposition party CSV voted in favour of the increased defense spending.
Luxembourg finances more than 12% of the project. This is synonymous with 1,200 flying lessons. 45 pilots from the national army would be required to participate in the programme - but Luxembourg does not have that many pilots. The rapporteur of the project, Greens MP Stéphanie Empain, said that Luxembourg nevertheless struck a good deal. She explained that one third of the Luxembourg's flying lessons will be given to other member states. "In return, Luxembourg does not need to provide 45 pilots," she said.
Opposition party CSV welcomed the project in itself but was less enthusiastic about the €600 million that are to be paid over 30 years. ADR MP Fernand Kartheiser said he was surprised that the Greens would back a military project. In his view, defense spending is important but he deemed this particular project superfluous.
Marc Baum from The Left meanwhile argued that it was politically irresponsible to approve massive defense spending while the pandemic still threatens to plunge Luxembourg into an economic crisis. He criticised that this budget would go to military attacks rather than development aid. He nevertheless conceded that Luxembourg's army assumed important civil responsibilities. He cited the army's efforts during the pandemic, and when a tornado ripped through Luxembourg last year.
François Bausch argued that military aircrafts can come in handy in certain situations. He referred to the French military aircraft that brought virus patients to Luxembourg during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.
Defense spending will account for 0.72% of Luxembourg's GDP until 2023.
