道しるべ

〝冷戦逆行〟に反発広がる

2025/05/14
ＥＵの「欧州再軍備計画」　

　　ＥＵは「欧州再軍備計画」を３月に発表し、域内各国はこぞって軍拡を急ぐ。ウクライナ戦争とトランプ政権の動向が、欧州に「冷戦時代」への逆行を招き、死の商人は喜び、民衆は反発する。　

　　ＮＡＴＯの東方拡大を進めロシアのウクライナ侵攻を招いた責任が大きい米国は、対中包囲に集中するためウクライナの梯子(はしご)を外し、欧州に軍事費のＧＮＰ比５％を求めている。　

「死の商人」復活　

　　呼応するＥＵ の「再軍備計画」は、米国依存の武器生産を域内で強化しロシアを敵として再軍備を推進するものだ。　

　　各国の軍事費を平均ＧＤＰ比１・５％ずつ４年にわたって増やし、一時軍事費が５％前後に達した冷戦時代に戻るのである。軍事産業への融資を制限してきた欧州投資銀行は政策転換し、ウクライナの軍事産業への投資も加速させる。

　　ＥＵではウクライナ戦争を好機として「死の商人」が復活していた。トランプの要求はそれを加速、欧州の軍事企業の株価はトランプが大統領になったとたん大きく上昇した。　

　　「再軍備計画」はＥＵの財政規律（債務はＧＤＰ比３％以内）を緩めた。「死の商人」の育成や戦争には莫大な資金が不可欠で、財政規律が厳格だったドイツが先行した。　

　　先の総選挙で与党社民党が大敗し左右両極が伸長した後、連立与党となるＣＤＵと社民党が憲法の財政均衡条項の改定を議会に提案した。　

　　議決には三分の二以上の賛成が必要で、選挙結果による新議会構成（極右ＡｆＤと左派の左翼党だけで三分の一超）になる前に採決する挙に出た。３月18日に５１３対２０７で憲法改定が可決されたが、この票は民意を反映していない。　

左も右も労組も　

　　マクロン仏大統領は自国の核を欧州の安全保障にと虚勢を張る。しかし議会では少数与党なので「国防」増税も債務増もできず、個人投資家向けの防衛ファンド設立でしのぐ。左翼戦線もルペン派も労働組合も福祉切り捨てになる「再軍備」には反対だ。　

　　イタリアの首相もオランダ議会も反対を表明。スペインのサンチェス首相は「ピレネー山脈の向こうからロシア軍が押し寄せる脅威はない」と述べた。　

　　ロシアに近い東欧は別として、西欧では「再軍備計画」に反対・慎重の声が強い。ロシア脅威論より暮らし優先の声は左翼と親露の極右が吸収し伸長した。日本も「抑止力強化を」などという宣伝にだまされず、欧州の良識に倣(なら)うべきだ。

英訳版↓

No. 1402 ReArm Europe Plan Endorsed by EU

The European Union announced in March ‘ReArm Europe Plan’, and the members hurry up in developing military capabilities. Due to the military conflict in Ukraine and behaviors of the Trump administration, Europe is put a clock back to another Cold War era. Merchants of Death are happy, while peoples in the continent are indignant.

PEOPLES ARE INDIGNNANT ABOUT ANOTHER COLD WAR IN EUROPE

The US government urges Europe to raise spending up to a 5% level of GDP in military buildup, following its announcement to refrain from assisting Ukraine. It wants to focus mainly on encircling China, though it is primarily responsible for pushing the NATO border eastward, which has, consequently, brought about intrusion of Ukraine by Russia.

Revival of Merchants of Death

The ReArm Europe Plan, which is the EU’s response, is to encourage rearmament of Europe to counter Russia as an adversary by boosting weapons production inside the EU territories instead of depending on the United States. The Plan offers the member nations to increase military spending by 1.5% of GDP for four consecutive years so as to go back to the Cold War era level, when the expenditure occupied around 5%. The European Investment Bank has converted its policy from restricting financing in military industries to accelerating investments in the Ukrainian military businesses, too.

Merchants of death have been revived in the EU countries thanks to the war in Ukraine. The request from the US President Trump has speeded up the course as is seen in the fact that the stock market of the European arms industries jumped up high when Mr. Trump took office.

The ReArm Europe Plan has relieved the financial regulations (deficits must be below 3% of the GDP). The plan was launched first in Germany, the country which has rigorous financial norms, because the plan needs an enormous sum of money to help Merchants of Death and stage wars.

After the ruling Social-Democratic Party were badly defeated and both of the rightist and leftist parties advanced greatly in the last general election, the coalition government of CDU and Social-Democratic Party presented the parliament a bill to amend the constitution in terms of the article of financial balancing. Resolution needs over two-thirds of votes in favor in the Bundestarg, and so, the ruling bloc undertook votes on the bill before formulation of a new government in accordance with the results of the general election (over one-third the seats are held by the rightist, the AfD, and the leftist, Die Linke). Votes were taken on March 18, which ended in the results 513 in favor and 207 against. The constitution was amended, but that does not reflect people’s will.

Rightists and leftists as well as trade unions are against war

In France President Macron boasts of the nation’s nuclear capabilities to be served for security in Europe. But he belongs to a minor party in the parliament, being unable to raise tax for national defense nor increase government debts. So, he maintains his position by setting up a defense fund for private investors. The leftist front and Le Pen’s faction as well as labor unions are against the rearmament project as it will worsen social services.

Prime Minister Meloni of Italy and the parliament of the Netherlands expressed objections. Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain mentioned that ‘there is no threat of Russian military’s intrusion from beyond Los Pilineos.’

Except for the nations in East Europe, which are nearer to Russia, voices of opposition and prudence are strong in the western Europe. The voices preferring livelihood to a threat from Russia were absorbed by the leftist and rightist political parties, both of which advanced in the elections.

We, Japanese people, too, should listen to the voices of European conscience, rejecting a trick of propaganda, ‘strengthening deterrence’.



May 14　 2025