Olaf Scholz’s personnel problems

Berlin When Olaf Scholz introduced the SPD ministers to the Federal Cabinet in early December 2021, the journalists present were amazed. By December 6, his party had managed to keep the names secret. Well, just before the performance began, they were taped to the floor of the podium in the SPD headquarters.

Journalists paced the positions: Karl Lauterbach Minister of Health? Nancy Faeser Home Secretary? And Christine Lambrecht Secretary of Defense?

Almost a year after taking over government, Scholz’s surprising personnel decisions seem to be taking revenge. While the chancellor’s closest circle consists of political professionals, he opted for “unconventional solutions” when appointing the SPD ministers, as a comrade put it. It was not only the new anger about Lambrecht’s controversial New Year’s Eve video that showed that Scholz may have made a mistake when choosing his ministers.

Even before the blunder, the SPD was dissatisfied with the Minister of Defense. But not only about them: Development Aid Minister Svenja Schulze is considered almost invisible in her office, as is Construction Minister Klara Geywitz, who has already admitted that her ministry will miss the proclaimed new construction targets. Minister of Health Lauterbach gave the upper warning in the corona crisis, but did little. Interior Minister Faeser also got off to a rocky start, but according to her comrades, she finally recovered. Nevertheless, so far only Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil has delivered a solid performance.

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Scholz’ surprising choice of personnel had various reasons. Since the beginning of his career, he has made important things a top priority – that is, his own. For example, there is an anecdote from Hamburg times about how he is said to have been sitting alone on the government bench after being elected mayor and thought that he could actually do the job of his senators right away.

Possible successor for Faeser: Lambrecht wanted to become Minister of the Interior

In the federal election campaign, Scholz had also promised to fill the cabinet equally with men and women. Because the FDP did not comply, Scholz had to appoint mostly women to the SPD departments, which partially restricted the selection. For these reasons of proportional representation, the previous Minister of Justice, Lambrecht, then became Minister of Defence, although she actually wanted to become Minister of the Interior.

The idea: Lambrecht should only take over the office on an interim basis until Interior Minister Faeser moves to Hessian state politics in 2023, and Lambrecht can then take over her favorite department. But as a result of the Ukraine war, Lambrecht is no longer just a follower, but is suddenly in the limelight. Breakdowns are particularly noticeable. And Lambrecht afforded a few of them.

Christina Lambrecht

Recently ennobled by the Federal Chancellor as a “first-rate” Minister of Defense.

(Photo: IMAGO/Christian Spicker)

At first she celebrated the delivery of 5,000 helmets to Ukraine as a grand gesture, took her son with her in the helicopter or didn’t know the ranks of the soldiers. But even in the course of the tough government business, criticism grew. It is said that Lambrecht is not putting enough pressure on to speed up the processes in her ministry.

In December, the minister then questioned the future of the Puma infantry fighting vehicle after all 18 vehicles deployed failed during a target practice. In the meantime, the shortcomings have largely been remedied, and the question arises as to whether Lambrecht hastily pursued industrial bashing.

Defense policy is meanwhile being made out of the chancellery. The meeting on accelerating the procurement of ammunition took place there, not in Lambrecht’s department. On the subject of tank deliveries to Ukraine, Lambrecht has the thankless task of defending the red lines drawn by Scholz.

>> Read here: That’s why the Secretary of Defense holds a thankless post

After the New Year’s Eve video, in which Lambrecht talks about the Ukraine war – with firecrackers in the background – and tells how many impressive people she has met through it, many people had enough. It was not surprising that the opposition demanded Lambrecht’s resignation. The silence from the SPD was booming. No comrade jumped to the minister’s side. “As well as? There’s nothing to defend in the video,” says an SPD man. Lambrecht has long become a burden for Scholz.

Is the chancellor sticking to her? The opportunity for a cabinet reshuffle would at least be there.

On February 3, Interior Minister Faeser will announce whether she will stand as the SPD’s top candidate in the Hessian state elections in October. Everything speaks for it. Scholz could use Faeser’s candidacy for castling. But whenever the public loudly demands something from Scholz, the Chancellor deliberately switches to stubbornness. He could therefore cling to Lambrecht not in spite of but because of the criticism.

In addition, he has just praised Lambrecht as a “first-rate Secretary of Defense”. What would it look like to relieve her of office shortly afterwards? And can Scholz make Lambrecht Minister of the Interior at all? This would be felt to go hand in hand with a devaluation of the interior department.

Defense Commissioner Högl is said to have already expressed interest

Arranging Lambrecht’s successor would not be so easy either. Lars Klingbeil would be a suitable candidate because he comes from defense policy. However, he has only been head of the SPD for almost a year and is needed in the party. Defense State Secretary Siemtje Möller had hoped for the post of minister before the election, but is considered by many in the SPD to be too inexperienced and backed up this impression in May with clumsy statements about arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The simplest solution would be to take over the defense commissioner Eva Högl (SPD). She is said to have already expressed an interest should Lambrecht go, according to the SPD.

On Wednesday, Scholz’s government spokesman rejected such speculation. “You discuss cabinet reshuffles, but we don’t,” he told reporters. A dismissal of Lambrecht would be an atypical risk for Scholz. But leaving the minister in office is now also considered a risk by many in the SPD.

More: Christine Lambrecht – The Minister of Self-Defense switches to attack mode

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