Defence was debated in budget sittings, foreign policy debates, topical hours and the state of the nation debate between April 2024 and May 2026. Those sittings covered the rise of defence spending towards 2 % and then 5 % of gross national income. They also covered the 2.6 billion euro procurement law and the binational battalion with Belgium. Military aid to Ukraine, compulsory military service and the planned defence bonds came up as well. The quotes below are taken verbatim from the Compte rendu officiel of each sitting.
\nOn 14 November 2024, during the debate on the 2.6 billion euro procurement bill for the army, Alex Donnersbach argued that Europe must provide for its own defence.
\n\n\nSpéitstens elo muss eis bewosst sinn, datt mir an Zukunft selwer fir eis Verteidegung musse suergen.
\n
At the latest now we must be aware that in future we have to provide for our own defence.
\nSitting of 14 November 2024, Alex Donnersbach, CSV
\nOn 20 May 2026, in the debate on the NATO spending trajectory and the binational battalion, Laurent Zeimet argued for solidarity with Luxembourg's allies now.
\n\n\nWa mer wëllen eis 200 Joer Onofhängegkeet 2039 feieren, da musse mer och elo solidaresch mat eisen Alliéierte sinn.
\n
If we want to celebrate our 200 years of independence in 2039, then we must also show solidarity with our allies now.
\nSitting of 20 May 2026, Laurent Zeimet, CSV
\nOn 24 April 2024, in the 2024 budget debate on the defence effort and the NATO target, Gilles Baum stated that defence must not be a place for savings.
\n\n\nBei der Defense däerfe mer net spueren – woubäi ech weess, an dat ass och hiert gutt Recht, dass Verschiddener heibannen dat anescht gesinn.
\n
On defence we must not save, although I know, and that is their good right, that some in this House see it differently.
\nSitting of 24 April 2024, Gilles Baum, DP
\nOn 17 December 2025, in the budget debate on the path from 2 % to the NATO commitment of 5 %, Gilles Baum restated the government decision to reach 5 % of gross national income by 2035.
\n\n\nAn dofir huet eis Regierung decidéiert, datt och Lëtzebuerg bis 2035 déi 5 % vum RNB zu senger Verteidegung an zu der Sécherheet vum Land a vum europäesche Kontinent soll bäisteieren, och wann een 2029 wuel d’Resultater vun enger „mid-term review“ wäert consideréieren.
\n
And that is why our government decided that Luxembourg too should contribute 5 % of gross national income by 2035 to its defence and to the security of the country and of the European continent, even if in 2029 the results of a mid-term review will probably be considered.
\nSitting of 17 December 2025, Gilles Baum, DP
\nOn 22 January 2025, opening the topical hour on compulsory military service, Liz Braz set out her party's opposition to conscription.
\n\n\nMir als LSAP waren a sinn och weiderhi géint eng Aféierung vum obligatoresche Militärdéngscht. En obligatoresche Militärdéngscht, dat ass eng massiv Aschränkung vun de Grondrechter.
\n
We in the LSAP were and remain against introducing compulsory military service. Compulsory military service is a massive restriction of fundamental rights.
\nSitting of 22 January 2025, Liz Braz, LSAP
\nOn 29 October 2025, in the foreign policy debate on the 5 % target agreed at the NATO summit, Yves Cruchten argued that security is more than a spending percentage.
\n\n\nJo, mir brauchen eng staark Verdeedegung, mee Sécherheet ass net nëmmen eng Zuel oder e Prozentsaz.
\n
Yes, we need a strong defence, but security is not just a number or a percentage.
\nSitting of 29 October 2025, Yves Cruchten, LSAP
\nOn 14 November 2024, at the vote on the procurement bill for the Belgian-Luxembourg reconnaissance battalion, Tom Weidig stated his party's refusal to support the bill because of the binational battalion.
\n\n\nMee mir kënnen dëse Gesetzesprojet awer net matstëmmen, well mir net fir e binationale Batailloun sinn.
\n
But we cannot vote for this bill, because we are not in favour of a binational battalion.
\nSitting of 14 November 2024, Tom Weidig, ADR
\nOn 29 October 2025, in the foreign policy debate on the 5 % target, Fred Keup opposed the planned level of military spending.
\n\n\nAn deen dote Budget fir d’Militär – e Budget pro Kapp, dee méi héich ass wéi dee vun den USA – brauche mer net.
\n
And that military budget, a budget per head higher than that of the USA, we do not need.
\nSitting of 29 October 2025, Fred Keup, ADR
\nOn 4 March 2025, in the declaration debate on European rearmament and the \"ReArm Europe\" plan, Sam Tanson called for a common European defence and a European army.
\n\n\nZweetens: Mir brauchen eng gemeinsam europäesch Verdeedegung an eng europäesch Arméi.
\n
Second: we need a common European defence and a European army.
\nSitting of 4 March 2025, Sam Tanson, déi gréng
\nOn 20 May 2026, in the debate on the NATO spending trajectory to 2035, Sam Tanson rejected the 3.5 percent defence spending target as neither effective nor realistic.
\n\n\nMir sinn net mat deenen 3,5 % einfach absolutt esou d’accord. Dat ass weeder zilféierend nach realistesch.
\n
We do not simply agree with those 3.5 percent in absolute terms. That is neither effective nor realistic.
\nSitting of 20 May 2026, Sam Tanson, déi gréng
\nOn 24 April 2024, in the general debate on the 2024 budget bill, Sven Clement insisted that higher defence spending needs a plan and concrete targets.
\n\n\nDat dierf awer net bedeiten, datt Lëtzebuerg einfach Geld an eis Defense stécht, ouni Plang an ouni Kompass an ouni konkreet Ziler.
\n
But that must not mean that Luxembourg simply puts money into our defence, without a plan, without a compass and without concrete targets.
\nSitting of 24 April 2024, Sven Clement, Piraten
\nOn 18 March 2026, during the topical hour on the American security strategy, Sven Clement stated that Luxembourg did not adopt the 5 % defence spending figure freely but carried it in the end.
\n\n\nMir sinn net ganz fräiwëlleg op déi Zuel komm, mir hu se awer schlussendlech matgedroen a mir kënne se natierlech elo als eng Fal gesinn oder als eng Chance.
\n
We did not arrive at that figure entirely voluntarily, but in the end we supported it, and we can now see it either as a trap or as an opportunity.
\nSitting of 18 March 2026, Sven Clement, Piraten
\nOn 14 November 2024, during the debate on the procurement bill for the army, Marc Baum proposed to invest in diplomats instead of a military battalion.
\n\n\nAmplaz an e Militärbatailloun sollte mer an e Batailloun vun Diplomaten investéieren, an dat zur Spezifissitéit vun der lëtzebuergescher Defensepolitick maachen.
\n
Instead of a military battalion we should invest in a battalion of diplomats, and make that the specificity of Luxembourg defence policy.
\nSitting of 14 November 2024, Marc Baum, déi Lénk
\nOn 2 July 2024, answering a question hour question on the French nuclear umbrella and the European defence industry, the Prime Minister confirmed the government will raise defence spending to 2 % by 2030.
\n\n\nAn duerfir wäerte mer och eisen Effort de défense, wéi mer annoncéiert hunn, op 2 % vum Revenu national brut bis 2030 erhéijen.
\n
And that is why we will also raise our defence effort, as we announced, to 2 % of gross national income by 2030.
\nSitting of 2 July 2024, Luc Frieden, Premier ministre
\nOn 9 July 2025, in the topical hour on the new NATO targets, the Minister of Defence denied that the government is entering an arms spiral and stated what guides its ambition.
\n\n\nDir Dammen an Dir Hären Deputéiert, nee, et geet net drëms, blann an eng Rüstungsspiral ze falen. Dat maache mer net. Eis Ambitioun muss ëmmer un de Menacen, de Menacë vun haut a vu muer, orientéiert sinn.
\n
Ladies and gentlemen deputies, no, this is not about falling blindly into an arms spiral. We are not doing that. Our ambition must always be oriented to the threats, the threats of today and of tomorrow.
\nSitting of 9 July 2025, Yuriko Backes, Ministre de la Défense
\nOn 18 March 2026, in the topical hour on the American security strategy, the Prime Minister stated that Europe must stand more on its own feet while seeing the transatlantic relationship as evolving.
\n\n\nDuerfir muss een déi transatlantesch Relatioun natierlech an hirer Evolutioun gesinn. An et ass fir eis kloer, datt mir eis musse méi op eis eege Féiss setzen.
\n
So one must of course see the transatlantic relationship as evolving. And it is clear to us that we must stand more on our own feet.
\nSitting of 18 March 2026, Luc Frieden, Premier ministre
"}