AfD eyes coalition power as NATO seeks stronger European role and defence spending rises

Germany's far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is intensifying its push to enter government, with its leader—who lives in a same‑sex partnership—positioning the party for coalition negotiations. At the same NATO summit, European members and Canada announced new collaborations aimed at making the alliance less dependent on the United States. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “We are creating a more European NATO than ever before.” NATO’s latest budget review projects an 11 % rise in defence spending for European members this year, though several countries are struggling to meet their financial targets.

These developments reflect a broader shift in European security policy, as the alliance balances internal political ambitions with the need to sustain higher defence budgets amid growing geopolitical tensions.