Germany overcomes history and prepares for war
After decades of enjoying peacetime dividends and American protection, Germany is now re-arming in a hurry.
Troop numbers in the Bundeswehr had withered since the 1990s and spending dipped well below 2%.
But with bellicose Russia on Europe's borders and US support no longer a guarantee, that's all changing.
The real question is: are Germans ready to be a military power once again?
Guest: Dr Benedikt Franke, CEO of the Munich Security Conference
Get in touch:
We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

News.com.au
19 hours ago
- News.com.au
UK considers envoy for Britons held abroad
Britain is preparing to emulate the United States by appointing an envoy tasked with freeing citizens arbitrarily detained abroad, as it faces calls to do more to bring them home. High-profile cases like jailed Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and imprisoned Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai have spotlighted the plight of Britons held in jails overseas. The UK foreign ministry insists it continues to press such cases with governments, but relatives of detainees and human rights organisations complain of a lack of urgency and transparency. "The government is committed to strengthening support for British nationals, including through the appointment of a new envoy," a Foreign Office spokesperson told AFP. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer has said an "Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions" is expected to be appointed "before the summer". The government has not specified the terms of the role but it could be similar to America's Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, a position created in 2015. Unlike the United States though, Britain does not take part in prisoner exchanges. Professor Carla Ferstman, an expert on arbitrary detentions at the Human Rights Centre at Essex Law School, said appointing someone would be the "clearest thing that the UK can do that it hasn't done yet". "When you have someone at the highest level they command a certain level of respect," she told AFP. Abdel Fattah was arrested in September 2019 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of "spreading false news" after sharing a Facebook post about police brutality. He is still imprisoned despite a hunger strike by his mother and Britain's foreign ministry saying it is pushing for his release "at the highest levels of the Egyptian government". His sister Sanaa Seif said an envoy would mean "a proper continued focus on" freeing detainees. - 'Clear strategy' - "It's also important to have a focal point that can help coordinate between different government bodies so that they all work in synchronisation," she told AFP. Seif believes the government should consider revising travel advice to Egypt too, a call also made by lawmakers who have suggested the government should sanction Egyptian officials as well. "Is it not clear that words are no longer sufficient?" Conservative peer Guy Black asked in parliament's House of Lords recently. Ferstman said tightening travel guidance can be a powerful tool. "It's a big deal because all of a sudden tourists can't get insurance and it's harder for business travel to happen. There's all kinds of implications," she explained. Amnesty International recently called for the government to develop a "clear strategy" to support arbitrarily detained Britons, including by demanding that UK officials attend trials. The Labour government pledged in its general election-winning manifesto last year that it would introduce "a new right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations". Amnesty also wants the government to call for a person's "immediate release", including publicly when it is requested by the family. It said London took three years to publicly call for Lai to be freed, something his son Sebastian said "sends the wrong message" to "autocratic states". "The quicker we have the government speak out post-arrest, that's the window of opportunity to have people released," Eilidh Macpherson, Amnesty's campaigns manager for individuals at risk told AFP. UK officials say the government can be wary of accusations it is interfering in another country's judicial system. "Sometimes it may need to be quiet about what it's doing, but this shouldn't come at the expense of transparency," said Ferstman. Jagtar Singh Johal, a Sikh blogger from Scotland, was arrested in India in November 2017 while there for his wedding on accusations of being part of a terror plot against right-wing Hindu leaders. He has not been convicted of a crime and in March was cleared in one of the nine charges against him. The foreign ministry spokesperson said Foreign Secretary David Lammy "continues to raise concerns" about the detention with India's government "at every appropriate opportunity". But his brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal complains of being kept in the dark. "We don't know what's actually being said," he told AFP. Gurpreet said an envoy would be a "good thing" but until the position is in place, "We won't know exactly what it means."

News.com.au
20 hours ago
- News.com.au
200,000 turn out for ‘illegal' rally in Hungary's capital
Residents of a major European city have defied the orders of their far-right Prime Minister to attend a protest which had been outlawed by the government. Organisers estimated that 200,000 people marched through Budapest, Hungary for its annual pride parade despite being threatened with legal action by nationalist leader Viktor Orban, Hungary's government this year amended laws and the constitution to prohibit the event, citing 'child protection' to justify its years-long clampdown on LGBT rights. Under new laws the 'depiction or promotion' of homosexuality to under 18s became an offence, in what Amnesty International called a 'full frontal attack' on LGBT people. Mr Orban said on Friday that while police would not break up the Pride march, those who took part should be aware of 'legal consequences'. The laws empowered authorities to use facial-recognition technology to identify those taking part, and cameras had recently been installed on lamp posts along the parade route. Parade organisers risked up to one year in prison, and attendees faced fines up to 500 euros ($897). But after the Budapest Mayor stepped in to co-host the event – making it an official council event – it drew a record crowd and dwarfed the previous expectation of 35,000 people. 'We believe there are 180,000 to 200,000 people attending,' the president of Pride, Viktória Radványi told AFP. 'It is hard to estimate because there have never been so many people at Budapest Pride.' One participant, 66-year-old Zoltan, said he was 'proud to be gay and I am very scared that the government wants to bring us down'. 'I am very surprised that there are so many people, I want to cry,' he added. Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs in a post on X after the march claimed the opposition staged the parade 'at Brussels' command'. 'With Pride, the opposition incited against laws they don't like, mocked Hungary's sovereignty, and – with foreign backing – tried to force woke culture onto us,' he wrote. Earlier this week, European Union (EU) chief Ursula von der Leyen called on the Hungarian authorities to reverse the ban. Thirty-three nations, including most EU countries, have also released a statement in support of the march. Since Mr Orban's return to power in 2010, the country of 9.6 million people has been steadily rolling back LGBT rights. It is the first EU nation to ban a Pride march, and Mr Orban has said he has been emboldened by the anti-diversity push by US President Donald Trump. Opposition leader Peter Magyar said on Facebook that the government 'scored not a goal, but a huge own goal with their attempt to ban today's event'. 'Freedom and love can't be banned,' read one huge poster put up near city hall, the gathering point for the march.


SBS Australia
a day ago
- SBS Australia
Open Defiance: Record turnout at Hungary's Pride March despite crackdown
Undeterred by threats of arrest, up to 200,000 people have taken part in the Hungary's largest-ever L-G-B-T-I-Q Pride march. Organisers say record numbers turned up to the event in Hungary's capital, in an act of open defiance of the police ban imposed by the nationalist government. Ahead of the event, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told reporters that people can do as they please, but the law will be enforced. HUNGARIAN THEN ENGLISH: "We're grown-up people. I advise everyone to decide what they want. Obey the law, I do that, and I would advise everybody else to do that, or if you do not comply, you will have to reckon with the clearly described legal consequences.' Hungary's governing coalition amended its laws and constitution this year, prohibiting the annual celebration on the grounds of child protection. Under the ban, parade organisers could face up to a year in prison and attendees face fines of up to $900. Activist and journalist Ádám Kanicsár says the ban will not stop the community from feeling pride. "In the community no one really cares if its legal or not. Because even if it would be illegal, we would go because we want to be there and we have to be here. So we don't really care about the consequences, we are here because we are proud. And we are not just only proud of our LGBT identities or some people who are allies, we are also proud Hungarians and we have to stick together." Defying the Prime Minister, the opposition-run local council decided to co-host the event. Since Mr Orban's return to power in 2010, the government has been steadily rolling back the rights of LGBTIQ people. The Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony [[GER-gei KAH-rah-chohn]] says the government made a huge mistake with this ban. HUNGARIAN THEN ENGLISH:"The arguments of the government are completely frivolous and say nothing more than that (political party) Fidesz has admitted that it has made a fatal political mistake by trying to ban this event." Hungary is the first E-U nation to ban a Pride march, and Mr Orban says he was emboldened by the anti-diversity push in the U-S. At a Pride event in Portugal last week, Hungarian politician Dávid Bedő put out a call for Europeans to turn out in support. 'No matter what our government says, no matter what the police say, we are going to be there a week from now in Budapest. And there will be more than 200 politicians joining us, more than 70 MEPs, more than 60 MPs, the mayor of Amsterdam is coming to Budapest so its going to be a very big international presence a week from now in Budapest. And I urge everyone to come and join us for Budapest Pride because it is very important at a time of oppression to stand up and fight for our freedoms.' Heeding the calls, dozens of European lawmakers travelled to Hungary for the march. The latest legal changes in Hungary also empower police to use facial-recognition technology to identify participants - with cameras installed on lamp posts. However, due to the record turnout, analysts say it will be difficult for the government to enforce. With attendance far exceeding the previous record of 35,000 people, Orsi Domdan says they're thrilled with the support from neighbouring countries. "And everyone wants their freedom and everyone wants to express their need for freedom. You know what I mean? No one wants to live in oppression, actually. And then love is more important than power. And yeah, I think people, even if they don't want to, whoever wouldn't come out to protest, everyone came out to protest, and it is for freedom. It's not really, and then liberal. Views, actually, and for love and equality and very much against the government, I believe. And I'm very happy that neighbouring countries came to support us as well. So it's like many, many, many people, way more than we expected, actually." Earlier this week, European Union Chief Ursula Von der Leyen made calls for a reversal of the ban. Thirty-three countries, including most E-U nations, also released statements supporting the march. The European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, says they won't allow a single member state to defy the commission's values. "The commission's position is very clear. And our president, Ursula von der Leyen had a very strong message yesterday, you could find it on her social media. She asks to Orbán's government to withdraw this ban and to change his opinion, and to allow this Pride. So I can't be more clear again, we are here with you, we stand with the LGBTIQ+ community. It is a core value to gather peacefully, to be who you are, to love who you are."