Both the chairman of the Christian Democrats, Friedrich Merz, and the leader of his sister Christian Social party and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Zender believe that he can no longer have another place in the three-party government
The pressure from the opposition for the resignation of the Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht (Social Democratic Party) are constantly intensifying. Both the chairman of the Christian Democrats, Friedrich Merz, and the leader of his sister Christian Social party and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Zender believe that he can no longer have another place in the three-party government under Olaf Solz. But what was Ms. Lambrecht’s “offence”?
On the night of the change of time, he uploaded a short video on Instagram, which was classified as private, with wishes for the soldiers while taking stock of the year. But the minister was on the street and her words were covered by the sound of fireworks and barrels so that she could barely be heard. But what was labeled a faux pas was that while she was talking about the war, she didn’t even mention Ukraine, instead referring to impressions from her “many, many meetings with interesting and amazing people.”
“How much longer does he want? chancellor to remain a spectator” asked Friedrich Mertz in today’s Münchner Merkur, “every hour Mrs. Lambrecht stays in office, the prestige of the chancellor weakens… not only our soldiers and defense experts worldwide are speechless by how shameful and inadequate a minister of our country can appear in public, Lambrecht is not able to fulfill her duties”. Markus Zender, for his part, urgently demanded the resignation of the minister or her dismissal. “The chancellor appointed her ( in government), he will now have to solve this problem,” citing a major disappointment in Germany after the chancellor announced from the floor of the House of Commons days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In the morning news magazine Morgenmagazin of the first channel of the public television ARD, Johan Vandepoul, vice president of K.O. of the Christian Union found that the minister is in the wrong position where she cannot remain. “Mrs. Lambrecht does not realize that in such a video she is not a private person but a representative of a central government ministry and that there are other politicians in the Social Democratic Party who could certainly perform her duties better,” he pointed out, showing her the exit door.
The chairman of the Defense Committee sees from another angle, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, (Liberals) the noise created by the video in question. “The minister should not be judged by how successful or not a video is, although proper communication internally and externally is particularly important, but by her will to reform the German armed forces,” he said while talking to his newspapers. of the Funke publishing group listing all the reforms to be made. “That will be the measure by which he will be judged.”
And what does the Social Democratic Party say? According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, support for her is waning, many do not even want to express their opinion publicly. Top party officials, such as the SPD chairman, are still on vacation and K.O. nothing is ruled out, even a resignation by Lambrecht. Party representatives say they have defended the minister in the past, “it’s just that in this case there is nothing to defend her, the question about the minister’s future is not about the video per se, but about the question of whether she has the authority to to impose multi-billion reforms and investments as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine.And in the event of her resignation there are potential successors.
SZ refers indicatively to the authorized for the armed forces Eva Hegel and Deputy Minister of Defense Simtge Meller. However, Lambrecht’s image has faded from a series of “unfortunate” choices. For example, in May 2022 she again became the target of public criticism when she uploaded a photo on Instagram of a military helicopter in flight for a troop inspection in the state of Schleswig-Holstein with her son, who then drove to the nearby island of Sylt for a holiday . Lawyer by profession Lambrecht emphasized that there was nothing legally reprehensible and that all the rules were followed, but of course doubts have been expressed in the past about the participation of family members of officials on official flights.
The latest in the minister’s series of “failures” is the case of the Puma tanks that faced serious technical problems at military high schools at the end of 2022, giving another opportunity to reflect on the real situation in the German armed forces during the war in Ukraine . The central question that arises is whether Christine Lambrecht, 11 months after the much-announced Special Fund of 100 billion euros, is able to upgrade the army, at a time when she does not seem to have ordered weapons, nor to have prepared any orders. In fact, the budget of her ministry for 2023 foresees less expenses.
DW
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
