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Secretary of Defense Christine Lambrecht
Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht considers her son's controversial helicopter flight to be unproblematic and can apparently continue to count on the support of the Social Democrats.
At the meeting of the SPD parliamentary group on Tuesday afternoon, the ailing minister spontaneously commented on the case, which is causing discussions within the coalition groups and the Bundeswehr.
According to SPIEGEL information, she justified herself resolutely.
Lambrecht therefore emphasized that he had acted in accordance with the rules in the accounting of the flight costs and spoke of a "campaign" against himself.
Participants quote her as saying that the debate about her is rarely about content, but mostly against her as a person.
Sometimes her shoes are criticized, now it's a flight.
Lambrecht had flown with her son on April 13 in a helicopter of the flight readiness.
In the parliamentary group meeting, the minister emphasized that the aim of the flight was not her holiday resort on Sylt, but initially a visit to the troops.
According to participants, following her justification, there was applause in the ranks of the deputies.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz was not in the room during her statement.
According to reports, however, he is said to have put his hand on the minister's shoulder beforehand, which the parliamentary group took as a sign of his support.
Under pressure for weeks
Lambrecht, who has to organize perhaps the biggest project of the legislative period with the conversion of the Bundeswehr, has been under pressure for weeks because of technical errors and a series of clumsiness.
It was announced on Monday that her son had used a government helicopter in mid-April.
Lambrecht was also on board.
According to the ministry, both flew to the Bramstedtlund reconnaissance site.
Her son did not attend the on-site visit.
Lambrecht claims to have paid the flight costs for her son privately.
In principle, members of the government are allowed to take family members with them on business trips.
However, if there is no official reason for the accompaniment, the costs incurred must be reimbursed.
The Ministry of Defense did not want to say how high the reimbursement for taking Lambrecht's son was, even when asked.
After the appointment, Lambrecht traveled to Sylt with her son for a short vacation.
The trip to Reichen Island in the middle of the war in Ukraine caused debates in Berlin.
Lambrecht's crisis is now also weighing on her party.
Just before the important state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, a central minister in the federal cabinet is accused of having abused service privileges for private purposes.
In the SPD faction, however, there is still no reason for criticism of the party friend.
»Christine Lambrecht has to clean up the shop.
Your predecessors may not have worn high heels, but they messed up a lot,” says party leftist Ralf Stegner.
cte/vme
