German parliament slaps limits on drone deal after Peter Thiel backlash
politico.eu • • world
Key Points:
- Germany’s parliament approved a multibillion-euro military drone contract with Stark and Helsing, but only after imposing new financial caps and oversight conditions due to concerns over Peter Thiel’s stake in Stark and contract transparency.
- The seven-year framework agreement includes an initial fixed order of €268.6 million, with a potential total value of €2.86 billion if all optional orders are exercised; however, additional orders now require renewed parliamentary approval and adherence to spending caps.
- Lawmakers set a €1 billion spending cap per supplier and mandated the Defense Ministry to demonstrate qualification readiness and provide updated justifications for exceeding this cap, aiming to enhance oversight and prevent unchecked expenditures.
- Stark welcomed the parliamentary decision, viewing it as a sign of trust in
