The minister has long been criticized.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) resigns. She asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to be dismissed, said a statement by the minister, which was presented to the German Press Agency on Monday from the Ministry of Defense.
Lambrecht’s resignation has been apparent for days. Various media reported on Friday that Lambrecht no longer saw a future as head of department.
Lambrecht, who has never made a secret of the fact that she would rather have been interior minister, has long been criticized. In addition to the blunders that have become public, such as her son flying with a helicopter, she is accused of never having developed any real interest in the office. In addition, she had not shown the leadership that was required to enforce the “turning point” in the Ministry of Defense.
Most recently, the minister, who was justice and briefly also family minister in the grand coalition, caused a stir with a video from New Year’s Eve published on Instagram. In it, her statements, which also revolved around the Ukraine war, were lost in the howling of the New Year’s rockets. In the ministry, the video had officially been dismissed as a private matter. Internally, however, it was seen as a major communicative glitch.
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At the same time, Lambrecht was in the difficult situation of having to explain Chancellor Scholz’s hesitant attitude towards the delivery of tanks to the Ukraine. At the same time, she was confronted with a strong pacifist current in her own parliamentary group around parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich, which is pushing for negotiated solutions in Ukraine and is at least skeptical about further arms deliveries.
These are possible Lambrecht successors
Who follows Lambrecht is still open. One candidate is the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl. The 54-year-old is considered by some to be a top favorite, as parity in the Federal Cabinet would be maintained with her. Another possible successor is the SPD federal chairman Lars Klingbeil. Klingbeil comes from a military family and made a name for himself as a member of the defense committee.
Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil and the Federal Government Commissioner for East Germany Carsten Schneider are also being traded for the successor. Another option would be Siemtje Möller, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense since 2021. Also named are Thomas Hitschler, also State Secretary in the Defense Ministry, and, surprisingly, Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt.
The name Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) is mentioned every now and then. Although she is a specialist and proportionality would be maintained, her appointment is considered absolutely impossible. If an FDP minister followed an SPD minister, the FDP would have to give up another ministry in return, and a major reshuffle of the cabinet would be necessary.
More: These are now the contenders for your Lambrecht successor