German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht takes issue with the media over her resignation – She says they are to blame

Against the German mass media is directed the resigned Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht (SPD) saying “for months they have been focusing on my person, preventing a meaningful report and debate about soldiers, armed forces and security policy decisions in the interest of citizens”.

In the foreground must be “the valuable work of the soldiers”, she emphasizes in her letter of resignationas reported by the Athens News Agency.

The politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and confidant of the chancellor Olaf Solz she had long ceased to be considered acceptable as defense minister, especially at such a critical juncture, with the war in Ukraine and the federal government’s landmark decision to immediately modernize the Bundeswehr. Information that she did not know – and did not care to know – about the structure of the German armed forces, leaks about her dissatisfaction with the post she was given when the government was formed, and a series of apparent – ​​and communication – mistakes, in combined with the serious logistical problems of the German armed forces that are revealed almost every day, made Christine Lambrecht the target of intense criticism and ironic comments from the opposition, the media, and even government party officials.

For weeks, her removal from the Ministry of Defense was considered a matter of time, despite public support from Olaf Solts. On Friday evening, BILD and Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that Mrs Lambrecht had already decided to resign.

What was the last straw?

The final straw was neither her…neglect to order ammunition for the army nor the unsuitability of the PUMA tanks discovered just days before NATO took over command of NATO’s Rapid Reaction Force (VJTF). Germany not even the incomplete preparation of the US order of F-35 fighters. On the night of New Year’s Eve, Germany’s defense minister appeared on Instagram with an amateur video, sending a message about the war in Ukraine to the sound of firecrackers and sparklers.

Apart from the obviously unfortunate choice of setting, however, it was also the content of her statements that caused criticism: “There is a war going on in the heart of Europe. And in connection with this, I gained a lot of experience, a lot of meetings with interesting and wonderful people. And for that I say a sincere thank you”, were her words. For a “shameful image”, her critics spoke at the time and it was now obvious that the countdown had now begun for the former close associate of Olaf Solz – she was his undersecretary in the Ministry of Finance.

The New Year’s “blunder” only came to add to a series of failures. A few months ago, it was revealed that her 22-year-old son accompanied her on many official trips, traveling on the planes and helicopters of the Bundeswehr, he even posted relevant photos on Instagram, while a few hours after the start of the war in Ukraine, the minister was seen in an institute of aesthetics in Berlin for the care of her limbs. Shortly afterwards, when asked about military aid Germany would offer, she said she would send 5,000 helmets to Kyiv.

The appointment of Mrs. Lambrecht’s successor must be done immediately and is not considered an easy task for the chancellor. On the one hand the tradition of an equal number of men and women in the government is recommended, on the other hand the post is proving to be extremely critical and the new minister will have to immediately manage the upgrading of the armed forces and the needs of the war in Ukraine. In addition, on Friday at the base of Ramstein meet the defense ministers of Western allies to discuss further military aid to Ukraine. The central topic of the meeting is expected to be the possibility of delivering tanks.

Among the candidates for the defense ministry are the Bundestag representative for the armed forces, Eva Haegl, who in an interview yesterday, Sunday, asked for an additional 200 billion for the modernization of the Bundeswehr, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, Deputy Defense Minister Siemtje Möller, but also SPD leader Lars Klingbeil. It is not excluded that the filling of the position of the Minister of Defense will cause a wider government reshuffle.

Source: News Beast

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