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Securing Peace in Europe: A Role for the Weimar Triangle?

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  • Tim Lohse
  • Armin Bolouri

Abstract

The Weimar Triangle countries – France, Germany, and Poland – could enhance Europe’s defense and strategic autonomy thanks to their complementaritiesGermany, enjoying fiscal space, opted for debt-financed rearmament but stagnant voluntary recruitment and sluggish procurement form bottlenecksFrance, lacking fiscal space, faces the guns versus butter dilemma while retaining a strong defense industry and nuclear autonomyPoland benefits from its allies’ deterrence and industrial strength while contributing a forward posture through its East Shield and large, publicly supported armed forcesTo increase and sustain defense spending, tax increases or budget consolidation might be necessary, which are politically more viable for both Germany and Poland

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Lohse & Armin Bolouri, 2025. "Securing Peace in Europe: A Role for the Weimar Triangle?," EconPol Forum, CESifo, vol. 26(03), pages 35-40, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:epofor:v:26:y:2025:i:03:p:35-40
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Florian Dorn & Niklas Potrafke & Marcel Schlepper, 2024. "European Defence Spending in 2024 and Beyond: How to Provide Security in an Economically Challenging Environment," EconPol Policy Reports 45, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    2. Qari, Salmai & Börger, Tobias & Lohse, Tim & Meyerhoff, Jürgen, 2024. "The value of national defense: Assessing public preferences for defense policy options," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. Lohse Tim & Börger Tobias & Meyerhoff Jürgen & Qari Salmai, 2025. "Steigerung der Verteidigungsfähigkeit Deutschlands: Optionen, Finanzierung und Effizienzsteigerung," Wirtschaftsdienst, Sciendo, vol. 105(4), pages 226-230.
    4. Lohse Tim & Börger Tobias & Meyerhoff Jürgen & Qari Salmai, 2023. "Der Wert von Sicherheit und nationaler Verteidigung," Wirtschaftsdienst, Sciendo, vol. 103(6), pages 394-399, June.
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