Lambrecht resignation?

Poll shows majority in favor - Scholz wants to hold on to Minister

Created: 05/14/2022Updated: 05/14/2022, 18:25

By: Linus Prien

Chancellor Olaf Scholz defends his criticized Minister Christine Lambrecht.

According to a new survey, more than half of Germans want their resignation.

Berlin - The Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht is currently not in a good position. The SPD politician has come under criticism because of a trip with a government helicopter that her son took part in.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has now stood in front of his defense minister.

When asked whether it was a burden for his government, Scholz said in an interview published on Saturday by the news portal

: "I'm very sure: If you look back at the election period in three years, it will say: It's the one Defense Minister who made sure that the Bundeswehr is finally properly equipped.” When the chancellor stated that this was a bold prognosis, he replied: “No”.

Christine Lambrecht: Son flies on vacation in a government helicopter

Lambrecht took her 21-year-old son with him in a government helicopter to a military visit in northern Germany in mid-April, without him taking part in the military visit himself.

The next day and after an overnight stay in a hotel, the car and bodyguards drove to the nearby island of Sylt.

Lambrecht had expressed understanding for public criticism of the flight on Wednesday.

At the same time, she announced consequences so that such allegations would no longer be possible in the future.

She did not give details.

The Ministry of Defense had pointed out that Lambrecht had applied for the flight in accordance with the rules and had fully assumed the costs.

Christine Lambrecht: Klingbeil supports the defense minister

SPD general secretary Klingbeil told the

that Lambrecht "is defense minister and she will remain so".

You must now turn the tide in the Bundeswehr, which has been run down for 16 years.

Klingbeil emphasized that Lambrecht had followed the regulations when organizing her vacation.

“It is perfectly legitimate for top politicians to have four days off from time to time.

You're never really on vacation anyway.” One reason for the backing of the SPD party leadership could be the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, among other things.

After Anne Spiegel had to resign from office, another resignation could damage the incumbent traffic light government.

Christine Lambrecht: According to a survey, more than half of Germans want Lambrecht's resignation

In a representative Insa survey for the

, a majority of 55 percent of those questioned spoke out in favor of Lambrecht's resignation.

1001 respondents took part in the survey.

However, 19 percent of respondents did not believe that she should resign as defense secretary.

In a representative Civey survey for the Welt television channel, 48 percent of those questioned stated that, in their eyes, calls for Lambrecht's resignation to be unjustified.