German government faces opposition crisis to force vote to send heavy weapons to Ukraine

But senior figures in the two junior coalition partners, the Greens and the Free Democrats, have demanded that the chancellor change course.

The Free Democrats are likely to support the supply of heavy weapons at a party conference this weekend, while Green Foreign Minister Analena Burbock said “Ukraine needs heavy weapons.”

Christian Lindner, finance minister and leader of the Free Democrats, said on Saturday that “we must do everything in our power” to help Ukraine, including sending heavy weapons, but added that Germany must put its own security at stake. first place.

“What is possible … must be done pragmatically and quickly, together with our European partners,” he said.

The CDU’s proposal calls on the government to “immediately and noticeably increase arms supplies” and calls on the government to supply battle tanks and artillery from the German army’s arsenal.

If the Greens and the Free Democrats support the proposal, it will throw the four-month government into a deep crisis and is likely to lead to the fall of Mr Scholz.

Political observers say the chancellor will then face a derogatory expression of his current strategy or have to call a vote of confidence to see if he still has a majority.