The German parliament approved the 2026 budget on Friday, which includes new debt exceeding €180 billion ($208 billion), aiming to revive the country’s struggling economy.

This level of borrowing was only surpassed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when it reached €215 billion, partly due to a €500 billion infrastructure fund and exemptions from debt rules for defense spending, according to Reuters.

The budget features high investment levels to support Europe’s largest economy after two years of contraction, with strong commitments to defense spending and an additional €3 billion in aid to Ukraine.