According to SZ, Ms. Lambrecht could not bear the burden of the Ministry of Defense from the beginning of her term, while she had confided that she did not want the specific post and had confessed that she did not know the ranks of the armed forces.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) is to resign next week, according to a report on the Sueddeutsche Zeitung website, citing information from associates of the minister. Previously, BILD also reported on the matter.
Ms. Lambrecht has been heavily criticized in recent months by both the opposition and the media as well as officials close to the governing coalition for a series of mistakes, with Chancellor Olaf Solz always covering for her, expressing his confidence in her.
The most recent incident involved her New Year’s message on Instagram, which was filmed talking about the war in Ukraine while crackers and fireworks from New Year’s celebrations in Berlin rang out behind her.
However, the substance of her statements also became the subject of comments. “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,” she had declared, her voice barely distinguishable over the noise of the fireworks. Her critics spoke of a “shameful image”.
Previously, Christine Lambrecht, who began her government career as Olaf Scholz’s deputy minister of finance in the last government of Angela Merkel, to then take over the Ministry of Justice, had caused comments on the one hand for her handling of the Ministry of Defense, where records are serious problems and shortages in defense equipment and on the other hand when it was revealed that on many trips she was accompanied by her 22-year-old son, who traveled on the planes and helicopters of the armed forces and even posted photos from them on social media.
In addition, just hours after the start of the war in Ukraine, Mrs. Lambrecht was seen in a beauty salon having her nails done, which was criticized as a lack of sensitivity to the seriousness of the situation.
According to SZ, Ms. Lambrecht could not bear the burden of the Ministry of Defense from the beginning of her term, while she had confided that she did not want the specific post and had confessed that she did not know the ranks of the armed forces.
At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, when asked about the military aid that Germany would offer, she had said that she would send 5,000 helmets to Kyiv.
The problems continued, with the revelation, among other things, of ammunition shortages, technical issues with the PUMA tanks that the Bundeswehr would make available to NATO, and difficulties in preparing the US order for F-35s. All this led to repeated strong demands for her resignation from the opposition.
In a recent Civey poll for the website t-online, 77% of Germans deemed her unfit for the job.
SZ reports today that Deputy Defense Minister Siemtje Meller and Bundestag Commissioner for the Armed Forces Eva Hegl are being considered as possible successors to Ms. Lambrecht.
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