Finally, a few words of appreciation. It is party colleague and Chancellor Olaf Scholz who finds praise for the minister in the general debate on the budget, who is under more pressure than almost any other member of the traffic light. Scholz talks about the special fund for the Bundeswehr, the 100 billion euros with which the government wants to get the ailing Bundeswehr back on its feet. He says that the “development” is already well advanced and he thanks his defense minister, Christine Lambrecht (SPD), at this point in front of the plenary session.
In politics there is the word of power and there is the praise of power. This is a praise of power: Look here, folks, the woman is doing her job, which is why the chancellor says: thank you.
In fact, there was recently something else to read about the minister. Lambrecht, 56 years old, after only about 100 days in office, is already involved in a debate about whether she is up to her task. “Can this minister war?” asked the recently image-Newspaper. In the report, the opposition politician Christoph Ploß (CDU) was outraged that Lambrecht “disgraced” Germany “all over the world”; her previous performance was “disastrous”.
All reports and background information on the war in Ukraine – in the SZ in the morning and in the SZ in the evening. Our Messages–Newsletter brings you up to date twice a day. Free registration at sz.de/morgenabend. In our news app (download here) you can also subscribe to the news newsletter or our breaking news as a push message.
In terms of communication, there have been a few glitches in the past few weeks
It had just become known that the Bundeswehr in Ukraine had only 500 Strela– Anti-aircraft missiles, although she still has 2700 from old NVA stocks. But the weapons are old, not all of them are functional anymore. Your ministry wanted to check what’s going on. But then the news broke that it was about 2,700 missiles for Ukraine.
Not meeting expectations, Lambrecht has been dealing with the problem for weeks. When the Ukraine asked for protective helmets before the outbreak of war, they quickly agreed to 5,000 and saw this as a “very clear signal: We stand by your side!” But the Ukrainian side wanted weapons even then.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Scholz made a security policy change. And Lambrecht now has the task of investing an additional 100 billion euros in the Bundeswehr. That is as much extra money as the Bundeswehr would otherwise have available in two years. 100 billion euros – that is also a historic opportunity.
It is shortly before 3 p.m. when Lambrecht steps up to the lectern in the plenary hall. It’s her stage to explain what she wants to do with the money. She says she has the goal clearly in mind, she wants a Bundeswehr that is able “to carry out the classic task of defending the country and the alliance without restrictions”. The troops should regain “full operational readiness”.
She wants to buy new fighter jets in the USA, she has already decided that. She is in talks with the Inspector General and Chancellor Scholz about the other major procurement projects that are now financially possible: It is about transport helicopters, armed drones, a mobile air defense system and an emergency program for the personal equipment of the soldiers. Lambrecht’s big test is yet to come. It will be measured by whether the situation in the Bundeswehr changes quickly with all the money.
Lambrecht came from the Justice Department. The lawyer belongs to the left wing of the SPD. She had previously had little contact with the Bundeswehr. This is their biggest weakness in the current situation. The Bundeswehr is facing a turning point. And at its head is a politician who is still in the process of opening up a big, foreign world to her.
When Scholz made Lambrecht head of the defense department, he wanted someone with ministry experience to head the department. He was also looking for a woman so that the cabinet would have equal representation. Lambrecht ran the Department of Justice tightly and without major glitches. If she were to repeat that at the head of the defense department, Scholz would have been satisfied. But that was before the war in Europe.