Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht publishes a video on New Year’s Eve – the echo in the comment columns of the German media is devastating. The almost unanimous opinion: Chancellor Olaf Scholz must act.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht spoke about Russia’s war against Ukraine in a New Year’s video – while firecrackers and rockets exploded behind her in the Berlin night. She says things like: “There is a war 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 and great people. For that I say a heartfelt thank you.” The opposition is outraged after the performance. “The speech about the war with New Year’s Eve firecrackers in the background only adds to their series of embarrassments. Therefore: Every additional minute in which the Federal Chancellor still holds on to this minister and thus further damages the reputation of our country goes to his account.” , explained, for example, the CDU member of the Bundestag Serap Güler (der star reported). Backing from your own coalition for the SPD politician? none.
The new year begins with a woman in command and command who has to fear for her job. And with a chancellor who is called upon to act in the comment columns of German newspapers. The press review on the topic:
Devastating verdicts on Christine Lambrecht’s administration
“Frankfurter Rundschau”: “You don’t have to use every mistake made by Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, like the opposition CDU, to demand her resignation. You don’t have to keep repeating the list of her bankruptcies, bad luck and mishaps to please the regulars. After all, she has the most problems inherited from CDU ministers. The Puma breakdown vehicle is just one example. Of course, Lambrecht could and should have managed the various challenges better, or at least should have communicated better how she intends to solve the individual problems. One can also have doubts whether Christine Lambrecht is the right person for the mammoth task ahead. However, it should not go unmentioned that defense and foreign policy lack the orientation that a national security strategy should provide. But Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Finance Minister Christian are arguing about this Lindner.”
“Leipziger Volkszeitung”: “Federal Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht is conspicuous by her oddities. She takes her son with her on a business flight, appears in high heels when visiting troops in Africa, declares her colleague Nancy Faeser to be the next Prime Minister of Hesse and on New Year’s Eve shoots a video that seems private should, but is not private as a statement on official issues and is therefore measured against a professional standard. A defense minister cannot talk about the war in Ukraine with German New Year’s Eve fireworks. That tells you the feeling.”
“Cologne City Gazette”: “All in all, Lambrecht’s oddities condense into a verdict: that a woman is in charge of a central department who doesn’t always know what she’s doing. Chancellor Scholz still has a power-political benefit from his minister: everything that’s going badly in the Bundeswehr , is attributed to Lambrecht. This also includes some things that she cannot change at all. But a minister acting as a lightning conductor can neither be in her interest nor in that of the country.”
“Pforzheim Newspaper”: “At a turning point in time, the Federal Republic of Germany needs someone at the head of the defense department who can assess the dimensions of what is happening in Ukraine and draw the right conclusions. A determined, hands-on person with a feeling for the right time and the right tone, no steamy chatter in the continuous firecracker fire at a Berlin crossroads.With his wrong decision in filling the military department, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has continued the questionable handling of his predecessor Angela Merkel with the Bundeswehr.If he is serious about it the respect and gratitude to the soldiers he spoke of in his New Year’s address, he should correct the mistake as soon as possible.”
turn of the year
At least there was time for a few sparklers – this is how New Year’s Eve was celebrated in Ukraine
“Central German Newspaper” (Halle): “The video in itself is just as little a reason for resignation as the other oddities. Overall, however, they pile up to give the impression that a woman is in charge of a central department who doesn’t always know what she’s doing. This and the substantial military problems are also weakening Germany internationally. It is true that Scholz has a power-political benefit from the defense minister. Everything that is going badly in the Bundeswehr is attributed to Lambrecht. This includes some things that she cannot change at all. A minister only as a lightning conductor However, it is neither in their interest nor in that of the country to employ them.”
“Märkische Oderzeitung” (Frankfurt/Oder): “First the long, almost defiant insistence on high heels, even when visiting troops, then the photograph she took of her son in the Bundeswehr helicopter and now the firecracker message: All of these are no longer individual slips, but reinforce the impression that Lambrecht is fundamentally lacking in sensitivity and interest in her task at the head of the troupe. It has long been about more than questions of style.”
“The bell” (Oelde): “Devastating criticism online and from the opposition follows promptly and quite rightly. Politics always has something to do with instinct, with finding the right moment. Christine Lambrecht almost completely lacks this sensitivity with this one already bizarre appearance once again. A lack of expertise, high-heeled visits to Mali, souvenir photos of the son in the Bundeswehr helicopter that have become public – the list of embarrassments is long.”
“Baden Latest News” (Karlsruhe): “This ‘New Year’s speech’ was a non-starter: A short video once again casts doubt on Christine Lambrecht’s competence. (…) The video shows once again that Lambrecht has little communication skills. But does she have no advisors? That The Lambrecht video published on Instagram is unfortunately not the first supposedly private publication by the minister, which causes a stir.The photos she took of her son in a Bundeswehr helicopter on the way to Sylt are still remembered.In both incidents one can get the impression gain that the minister in times of war fatally does not lead her key department with the necessary passion. It is not just about ‘symbolic’ misconduct, as one wants to dismiss the recent embarrassment in the SPD. There are also enough technical clues. (…) Scholz should now set an example and replace the problem minister.”
“southern courier” (Constance): “If it were only the video of the defense minister. A mistake, of course, an insensitive disgrace that Christine Lambrecht made with her New Year’s speech against a firecracker backdrop. But if it had only been this one video, then the SPD Politician may still be able to avert the damage for herself. It’s different. The Sylt vacation, the son on the government plane: Lambrecht stumbled through the negative headlines in 2022. And the Minister of Defense also persistently failed technically. The modernization of the Bundeswehr is faltering, the armed forces are complaining about defective tanks. The turning point is still a long time coming, and no camouflage parka can hide that. The privately filmed New Year’s message is now part of this chronicle, which rightly fueled the criticism of Lambrecht. It may only be embarrassing for her, but for her office it is devastating. Who will be able to take this minister seriously on the international stage? The Chancellor will have to act sen.”
“Rhein-Zeitung” (Koblenz): “If you ask around in the ministry, the criticism of the minister is quite blatant, even after a year in office. She has too few contacts in the house, relies on the wrong people and still seems like a stranger with the topic. The fact that the opposition is now suggesting that Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) dismiss Lambrecht is cheap and will hardly impress him has the best appointment at the helm of a ministry that is key to the country’s security in one of the country’s greatest military crises. If that’s not the case, he must take action. Soon and sustainably.”
“OM Media” (Vechta/Cloppenburg): “The minister not only didn’t cut a good figure last year, she didn’t do a good job either. Whoever came up with the really stupid idea of this video: It underlines once again that Lambrecht no longer is wearable.”
“Dithmar State Newspaper” (Heide): “Lambrecht regularly shows himself to be completely overwhelmed technically and unhappy in his office and public appearance, to put it cautiously. If it were otherwise, the New Year’s Eve video on the first weekend of the new year should already be forgotten, whether a CDU defense politician now demands her resignation or not. But the video is part of a series of mistakes and embarrassments. Scholz will have to react, if only to put an end to a permanent burden on the coalition.”
“General newspaper” (Mainz): “Lambrecht’s New Year’s Eve video can hardly be surpassed in terms of embarrassment. With her journalistic blackout, the social democrat has exposed her office and the country she represents to ridicule. Will she survive that politically? Christine Lambrecht is well, so it can be assumed , shortly before a dishonorable dismissal. Her complete failure in dealing with social media stands at the end of a chain of omissions. Broken tanks, a lack of ammunition, a lack of expertise, hesitation in delivering arms to Ukraine – Lambrecht is accused of many things, for some things she can do nothing. But the impression remains that after a good year she has not arrived in office. Germany cannot afford such a defense minister, especially not in times when a war is raging in Europe.”
Source: Stern
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