Germany’s Bundestag, or Lower House of Parliament, passed a historic bill allowing it to sidestep its strict rules on debt to spend big on defence and infrastructure. Why is this move a big deal? And why does its timing matter?

German chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that his proposed huge spending boost for defence was needed because of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 'war of aggression against Europe'.

Germany’s chancellor-to-be Friedrich Merz has agreed a deal with the Green party to inject hundreds of billions into the country’s defence sector and ageing infrastructure, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions.