Merz's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats – in talks to form a coalition after February's general election – unveiled the plans for vast extra outlays last week and are now racing to push them through the current legislation.

BERLIN — Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting in a fiery Bundestag debate Thursday urged Green lawmakers to pass constitutional amendments that would unleash up to €1 trillion in new spending to bolster the country’s military and invest in its economy.

BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's Greens vowed to block plans by likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz for a massive increase in state borrowing but left room for compromise on Monday on measures to revamp the military and revive growth in Europe's biggest economy.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz reached a tentative agreement with the Green party on a debt-funded spending package for defense and infrastructure, people familiar with the discussions said.

The Greens vow to foil the chancellor-in-waiting’s historic plan to invest big in defense and infrastructure. But it may just be a negotiating gambit.

Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz urged sceptical lawmakers on Thursday to back his proposals for a massive increase in state borrowing, framing them as a test for Germany to stand tall on the world stage and safeguard European security.

Germany's likely next leader Friedrich Merz is set Thursday to defend his unprecedented plans to massively ramp up defence and infrastructure spending in parliament as lawmakers begin debating the proposals.