German Defense Minister Accuses AfD of Weaponizing War Fears in Spending Debate

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius publicly accused the far-right AfD of exploiting public fear of war to attack defense spending, calling fear 'the fuel of the AfD.' This marks an escalation in political rhetoric ahead of the 2026 federal election, as defense spending becomes a contested campaign issue. The accusation signals growing polarization over security policy in Germany.