Germany's Pistorius warns social division threatens national security

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned on Monday that growing social divisions and political polarization could undermine Germany's security, arguing that national resilience depends on more than military strength.

"In a country where social cohesion is destroyed and polarization takes hold, there is no security - neither internally nor externally," Pistorius said during a lecture in Berlin.

Pistorius said security required a collective effort and a willingness among citizens to engage with broader societal challenges and support one another.

He also warned against delaying action on long-term problems, saying policymakers must address issues ranging from pensions and infrastructure to climate change, education and security. Failing to tackle such challenges today would make it harder to ensure the country's security in the future, he said.

Pistorius argued that defence readiness was a responsibility shared across society and could not be achieved by the armed forces alone.

"A country becomes capable of defending itself when its public administration, economy and citizens are resilient," he said, pointing to Ukraine's response to Russia's invasion as an example.

The minister said countries in northern Europe demonstrated the importance of societal preparedness. He cited Finland, which has a large reserve force and extensive civil-defence infrastructure, as a model of national resilience.

Pistorius made the remarks during a lecture honouring former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt, whom he credited with inspiring him to join the Social Democrats as a teenager 50 years ago.