Chancellors Friedrich Merz and Christian Stocker challenge EU budget expansion and new shared debts, stressing the need to reorder financial priorities.

At a press conference, German and Austrian chancellors Friedrich Merz and Christian Stocker, both chancellors, spoke out against expanding the EU budget and taking on new joint debts. Merz emphasized that due to Germany's difficult financial situation, budget priorities need to be reprioritized, while Stocker argued that not all problems can be solved with money. Their position contrasts with Spain's demands for increased national contributions to the EU budget. The European Commission will soon present proposals for the next multiannual financial framework.