Vote in the Bundestag

Traffic light crumbles: Taurus delivery still rejected

Scholz is in danger of losing the majority within the traffic light coalition.(Bild: Kira Hofmann/dpa/picturedesk.com)

The Bundestag has once again rejected the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. A majority of the parliament voted against a corresponding motion by the CDU/CSU. The traffic light coalition stood united behind Chancellor Olaf Scholz - but only on paper.

A majority of MPs voted against the CDU and CSU initiative on Thursday. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich defended Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) no to a delivery during the debate.

"Turning times are not for political gamblers. What is needed is reason, prudence and clarity. And that is what the Federal Chancellor is doing in the deliberations he has as head of government," said Mützenich.

CDU MPs attack SPD
690 MPs took part in the vote. 495 MPs voted against the delivery, 190 were in favor and there were five abstentions. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group has 197 MPs.

Taurus

• The Taurus system is characterized by a long range of 500 kilometers and great precision.
• The weapon makes it possible to destroy Russian ammunition depots, protected command posts and vital war infrastructure far behind the front line.
• The 19-kilometre-long Kerch Bridge was repeatedly cited as an example. It connects Crimea, which was annexed in violation of international law in 2014, and the Russian mainland.
• Opponents of a delivery point to a possible escalation.

The CDU/CSU, on the other hand, vehemently campaigned in the Bundestag on Thursday to help Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, with the delivery of the cruise missiles. Deputy parliamentary group leader Johann Wadephul (CDU) said that determination and clarity were needed in supporting Ukraine. Addressing the SPD, he said: "Their supposed prudence has only fueled Mr. Putin's aggression against Ukraine time and again. That is the result."

Scholz responded to the CDU/CSU's accusations on Wednesday: 

Agnieszka Brugger, deputy chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group, did announce that her group would not agree to the Union's motion. At the same time, however, she supported this demand.

In a personal statement, a group of Green MPs demanded the delivery of the Taurus cruise missile to Ukraine. The three-page paper, which was obtained by the German Press Agency in Berlin, states: "We expressly support considerations regarding a ring exchange and encourage the German government to take this path in order to secure peace and security for Europe and Germany in the long term."

FDP also in favor of Taurus delivery
Alexander Müller, defense policy spokesman for the FDP, expressed a similar view: From the perspective of the Free Democrats, Ukraine should also be supported with Taurus deliveries. "Gestures of humility towards Vladimir Putin" would achieve nothing. The FDP man also criticized "secrecy" in the debate. Like Brugger, he described the CDU/CSU motion as a "game played by the opposition". They would not jump over this stick.

Scholz, on the other hand, had argued that the use of cruise missiles would only be possible with the participation of German soldiers in order to prevent an attack on Russian territory. However, this would increase the risk of Germany being drawn into the war in Ukraine. The CDU/CSU accused him of mistrusting the "brave Ukrainians". There was also rejection from the AfD and the Left.