Defense Minister: Christine Lambrecht: How long will Olaf Scholz hold on to her?

Political Berlin is still in the winter break, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is also rare. This can be an advantageous state. If new problems arise somewhere, the boss can decide whether to deal with them himself or let things slide for now. If necessary, employees are sent out with the order not to say anything at first.

One of the problems the Chancellor has right now is Secretary of Defense Christine Lambrecht. The 57-year-old is known for her missteps. On New Year’s Eve she posted bizarre New Year’s greetings on Instagram. The video shows a minister with disheveled hair in front of the Stalin buildings on Berlin’s Karl-Marx-Allee. Firecrackers explode, rockets rise into the sky. In parts, Lambrecht can hardly be understood.

Lambrecht: As defense minister, she makes mistakes after mistakes

The Minister says: “A war is raging in the middle of Europe. And that meant a lot of special impressions for me that I was able to gain. Many, many encounters with interesting, great people.” Empathy in times of war works differently. How the chancellor finds the video will become one government spokeswoman asked the next day. On behalf of her boss, she replies: “I see no reason to evaluate that.”

The traffic light government has been in office for a little over a year, and Lambrecht has, according to many, during that time Mistakes after mistakes. She took her adult son in the government helicopter announced Interior Minister Nancy Faeser prematurely as the SPD’s top candidate for the state elections in Hesse and often does not seem to be in the saddle when it comes to technical issues. The upgrading of the Bundeswehr is not getting off the ground. Although there is no longer a lack of money, there is still a lack of weapons, equipment and ammunition. Critics at home and abroad complain that Germany is far too hesitant to deliver arms to Ukraine.

Comment: Lambrecht breakdowns – It’s about Germany’s reputation

Scholz does not support Lambrecht

That New Year’s video If one mistake was too many, Scholz must now pull the ripcord, the Union demands on Tuesday. “The chancellor can no longer watch,” says parliamentary group leader Johann Wadephul (CDU). Lambrecht is clearly out of place.

scholz could now demonstratively back his minister. But he doesn’t. In the SPD, too, they are remarkably quiet these days. In the Greens group it is said behind closed doors: “Scholz tolerates the embarrassment and excessive demands of Mrs. Lambrecht, because they distract from him.” While everyone was right to get upset about Lambrecht, Scholz’s “own failure at the turn of the century” will be dealt with less discussed with Russia and support for Ukraine.

Strack-Zimmermann wants to link the evaluation to the will to reform

The FDP defense politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann tells our editorial team that she wants to base her judgment on Lambrecht on her will to reform. “You shouldn’t judge the minister by whether a video was successful or less successful, although the right internal and external communication is of course very important, especially in these times. The minister will have to be measured by how far she is willing and able to reform the Bundeswehr.”

The defense committee chair also says a focus must be on procurement reform, including overcoming the previous divide between military and civilian administration. “This structure is completely out of date.” There is no company in Germany with such double structures. In the Bundeswehr, cultures are clashing that hinder each other and therefore do not have the necessary efficiency that is urgently needed.

Scholz appreciates Lambrecht’s loyalty

Other focal points are the streamlining of the processes and the merging of the various branches of the armed forces, as well as the need to Bundeswehr demography festival close. These issues need to be addressed now. “That will be the benchmark against which you will measure them,” says Strack-Zimmermann, looking at Lambrecht.

It is not known whether the chancellor appreciates the work of his defense minister. In any case, he appreciates their loyalty. You don’t just dismiss a minister, especially from your own party. And Lambrecht herself probably suspects that a resignation of her own accord would also end her entire career.

Lambrecht would like to become Minister of the Interior

When Scholz takes over the leadership of the Department of Defense into other hands, then this should happen as part of a cabinet reshuffle. Interior Minister Faeser will probably be the SPD’s top candidate in Hesse in the fall elections. But nothing is decided yet. In the party, they told her that she would have to give up her ministerial post. Lambrecht, who comes from legal politics, dreams of inheriting Faeser.

The question is whether it still has the political weight to do so. Even if that were the case, there would have to be a solution for that defense department here. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil would be technically suitable. But the chancellor has promised the voters that the cabinet should be made up of equal numbers of women and men.

Olaf Scholz doesn’t like taking decisions public pressure hold true. He doesn’t want to appear driven. But he won’t be able to play for time for too long: Interior Minister Faeser wants to comment on her ambitions at the beginning of February. By then at the latest, the chancellor will also have to say what will become of Defense Minister Lambrecht.

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