Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party would love to adopt Pete Hegseth’s hero worshipping “warrior culture”. In fact, they are specifically looking for ways to apply this approach in the Bundeswehr – the German armed forces. The new, re-elected red-red-green Berlin government is taking a courageous step. Its goal is to establish the Bundeswehr as Europe’s pre-eminent conventional military power.
Pete Hegseth now serves as the U.S. Defense Secretary. He has received media coverage for his aggressive push against what he deems “woke” ideologies entering the Pentagon. The AfD sees Hegseth’s approach as a blueprint for reshaping Germany’s military culture to prioritize strength and traditional values.
Boris Pistorius, the new German Defense Minister, has already indicated a willingness to go further and raise the floor on defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. This possible change in fiscal strategy would represent an unequivocal and dramatic commitment to strengthening military power. This plays right into the AfD’s dream of a strong, independent, global Bundeswehr. His comments indicate that he is aware of the pinch points being experienced by the Bundeswehr, particularly as geopolitical tensions increase in Europe.
Falling seconds behind Hegseth’s military philosophy is the AfD. This action is emblematic of the deepening Europeanization of far-right parties across the continent as they take cues from the American Conservative Circus. The AfD wants to rally the rubes with these very anti-elite sentiments. They’re pushing for a more robust military footing and higher investments in defense-related programs.
Minister Pistorius has been clear about troop numbers. He proposed that Germany should think about bringing back conscription if those figures are insufficient. Reintroducing mandatory military service would go against 50 years of established policy. The country hasn’t had an active use of conscription since 2011. This possible move reflects the increasing urgency by German leaders to improve national defense capabilities.
Germany’s defense strategy priorities are being reformulated due to a rapidly changing international state of affairs. At the same time, the interplay between far-right ideology and military policy is shifting. The AfD is particularly targeting U.S. military culture. This broader focus would strongly influence debates over military reform and military funding in the coming months.
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