Negotiators of the conservative Christian Democratic Union andChristian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) made major progress this week: In exploratory talks they agreed to take out massive loans to the tune of hundreds of billions of euros to strengthen the Bundeswehr and revamp ailing infrastructure.

The talks are moving along quickly. The parties have been in government together before — most recently under Chancellor Angela Merkel until 2021. So, there is a lot of common ground, but there are also major differences.

The CDU/CSU and SPD agree on the urgent need to invest and strengthen the Bundeswehr at a time when the US seems to be turning away from Europe. The CDU/CSU is considering the reintroduction of compulsory military service, which was suspended in 2011.

The SPD, however, sees large-scale conscription as unmanageable and is pushing for a voluntary military service model.

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