Lambrecht dismisses demands for his resignation - but speculates about other ministerial departures

Created: 05/20/2022, 09:53

By: Florian Naumann

According to Defense Minister Lambrecht, arms deliveries to Ukraine from the Bundeswehr stocks are hardly possible.

(Archive image) © Philipp Schulze/dpa

Christine Lambrecht is under constant fire from the Union.

Olaf Scholz' defense minister rejects the allegations - and sends a warning to the "corridor radio operator" in the house.

Berlin – Christine Lambrecht (SPD) is one of the publicly controversial department heads in Olaf Scholz's traffic light cabinet: It was only on Thursday that opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) called for the defense minister to be replaced in the Bundestag.

And that in a very well-noticed moment - in his reply to Scholz' government statement.

However, Lambrecht himself is not considering resigning or moving to another post in the current election period.

"I've taken on the job of Secretary of Defense.

And anyone who knows me knows that I also fulfill the tasks I have taken on," she told the news portal

.

On the one hand, Lambrecht is the face of Scholz' nationally and internationally controversial Ukraine policy;

a dispute between the Defense Minister and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba only became public on Thursday.

At the same time, she recently brought a helicopter flight with her son into the negative headlines – which is probably not legally objectionable.

Lambrecht wants to remain Minister of Defense - and sends a public warning into his own house

Lambrecht was still thirsty for action in the interview.

Referring to a statement by Scholz, she emphasized: "My goal at the end of the election period is that, looking back, you can say: You made sure that the Bundeswehr was finally properly equipped."

At the same time, the minister complained about indiscretions in her house: "When I look at what was written about my predecessors, I don't have the impression that it has anything to do with me personally," she said.

Some of the allegations are also "so absurd" that they don't even bother with them.

The Ministry of Defense feeds the media with "rumours, gossip and hall radio", which is a "non-culture".

She defended the balance of her first months as Minister of Defense: She had "implemented a lot in a very short time".

Lambrecht referred, among other things, to the decision to arm Bundeswehr drones and to the fact that in future 20 percent of all orders from the Bundeswehr would no longer go through a bureaucratic procurement process.

However, the equipment for the Bundeswehr could initially depend on a political dispute between Ampel and the Union - and thus on problems outside of Lambrecht's direct sphere of influence.

Scholz' traffic light cabinet: Lambrecht fuels speculation about departure

Indirectly, however, Lambrecht fueled speculation that Scholz could be forced to make a change in the cabinet in the foreseeable future: the reason was a question about a possible top candidate from Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) in the state elections in Hesse in 2023. "I'm counting on Nancy Faeser not will only be a top candidate, but also the first female Prime Minister in Hesse," said Lambrecht - but denied wanting to switch to Faeser's post in this case.

also read

"Like 1945": Putin is confident of victory - but the West puts the next damper on Russia

Ukraine rejects ceasefire and makes final demands on Russia

Lambrecht had served as Minister of Justice in Angela Merkel's cabinet from 2019, and as Minister for Family Affairs after Franziska Giffey's resignation in 2021.

Before the traffic light ministers were announced, she had already been traded as interior minister.

The nomination as defense secretary came as a surprise;

Traffic light politicians such as SPD leader Lars Klingbeil or FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann had been given greater authority.

The Union has repeatedly doubted Lambrecht's suitability - which the SPD leadership reprimanded as a targeted campaign against female ministers in the Scholz cabinet.

Lambrechts helicopter flight: Minister promises improvement

Lambrecht was self-critical about the quarrels surrounding the helicopter flight.

In the interview with

, she again showed understanding for the criticism.

“I will handle this differently in the future and organize my appointments differently.

But it remains important to me that everything was legally correct and that all rules were observed.

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.

(

)