The new defense minister will hardly have time to familiarize himself with the situation. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is not taking a break. And Friday is an important international meeting.
After the resignation of Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister Boris Pistorius (both SPD) will succeed her. He is to receive his certificate of appointment from Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday and take his oath of office in the Bundestag, as government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced on Tuesday.
Pistorius is an “outstanding politician,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). “Pistorius is an extremely experienced politician who has experience in administration, has been dealing with security policy for years and, with his competence, his assertiveness and his big heart, is exactly the right person to lead the Bundeswehr through this turning point,” he continued.
Lambrecht announced her resignation on Monday after a year in office. In the past few days, several other names have been named as possible successors, including Chancellor Wolfgang Schmidt, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil and military commissioner Eva Högl. Pistorius was now a surprise. The Interior Minister of Lower Saxony is considered an experienced political manager. In the past few years, Pistorius has gained a reputation as a knowledgeable specialist politician among the interior ministers of the federal and state governments. Even though he always stayed in Lower Saxony, he was also involved in the internal political positioning of the federal SPD in election campaigns and in coalition negotiations.
Cantankerous pragmatist
At the conferences of interior ministers, Pistorius, who is considered to be pragmatic, always visibly enjoyed arguing with conservatives like former interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) on the open stage, quick-witted, with pointed remarks, but never disrespectful. Perhaps Pistorius’ age also makes him the ideal candidate for the post of defense minister. At the age of 62, a politician can finally move into the executive office in the Bendlerblock, which is generally regarded as an ejection seat and therefore also as a potential career killer.
FDP faction leader Christian Dürr also praised the decision. “I am convinced that he is the right man for the post of defense minister,” he told the news portal t-online. He knows him from his time in the Lower Saxony state parliament and has always valued him there as Minister of the Interior. “Mr. Pistorius has many years of experience with the structure of our security authorities, and he was also in the Bundeswehr himself. I am convinced that he is the right man for the office of defense minister and that he can fill the turning point with life,” said Dürr.
Habeck: Politician with “necessary nerve strength”
Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) welcomed the appointment of Lower Saxony. “Boris Pistorius is a very experienced politician who has the necessary nerves of steel in difficult situations.” Pistorius will take over the defense department “in very crucial times”. “Important decisions also have to be made in the short term, especially the urgent question of how we can continue to support Ukraine in its right to self-defence. Germany bears a responsibility here and has to master major tasks,” explained Habeck.
Strack-Zimmermann: No grace period for Pistorius in office
According to Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), Chairwoman of the Bundestag Defense Committee, Pistorius will not have much time to familiarize himself with the new position. “In view of the dramatic international situation and the state of the Bundeswehr, he does not get a grace period,” she told the news portal “t-online”. Strack-Zimmermann appealed to the SPD politician to communicate more openly with parliamentarians. Constructive cooperation is possible “provided that he exclusively represents the interests of the soldiers at the cabinet table and is assertive towards the ministry,” she emphasized.
Criticism of the personnel came from the Union. “The Chancellor is showing that he doesn’t take his own turning point seriously,” said the deputy chairman of the Union faction, Johann Wadephul (CDU), the German Press Agency. “Again, expertise and experience with the Bundeswehr are irrelevant,” criticized Wadephul. The personnel is a “cast from the B team”. With that, Chancellor Scholz “had a real surprise. Unfortunately, not a good one.” In order to move the Bundeswehr forward, not only money is needed, but also expertise. “Given the situation, Boris Pistorius will not be able to have 100 days of training,” emphasized Wadephul.
Office with numerous construction sites
Lambrecht leaves Pistorius with a whole series of construction sites. The modernization of the Bundeswehr, among other things with the help of the 100 billion euro special fund, is only just beginning. So far, only contracts for a good ten billion euros have been concluded. Chancellor Scholz announced the rearmament after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
It is also still unclear how the arms deliveries to Ukraine will continue. After the federal government recently decided to supply Marder armored personnel carriers, the current debates revolve around providing Leopard main battle tanks to the attacked country. The new minister is scheduled to meet with Ukraine’s western allies at the US air base in Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate on Friday, where further support for Kyiv will be discussed.
Pistorius was repeatedly said to have ambitions for a political office at the federal level. For example, there were rumors that he could become federal interior minister if Nancy Faeser were to run as the top candidate for the SPD in the state elections in Hesse.
With the decision for Pistorius, Scholz undermines his own claim to fill his ministerial team equally. Previously there were eight men and eight women, now there will be nine men and seven women – not counting the chancellor himself.
Source: Stern
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