Minister Lambrecht under pressure: when it’s time to go

How much criticism does a politician have to endure? What can you allow yourself? Defense Minister Lambrecht is not the first to be criticized and ridiculed. A look back shows who lost his office and why – or who was able to save it.

Many did not understand Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht’s New Year’s Eve video – not acoustically, because of the Berlin firecracker backdrop in front of which she placed herself, but also not in terms of content, because of her choice of words. She was accused of lacking empathy for Ukraine because she talks about “interesting encounters with lots of great people” about the war.

That was simply embarrassing, you hear from your own ranks. Demands from the opposition that she resign quickly followed. Nothing unusual, these demands have been around for months. The minister is silent, sits it out.

How long can you stay in office like that? And how serious must mistakes be? Looking at their predecessors, it’s all a matter of style.

Clinging to office – the case of Rudolf Scharping

Former Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping had a less than elegant departure. He fought for office until the last day and did not want to leave. But splashing pictures with his partner at the time on Mallorca, while the Bundeswehr was deployed to Macedonia, caused bewilderment. The line of embarrassment seemed crossed.

The minister was no longer an authority figure in the Bundeswehr. There was also trouble with the readiness to fly of the Bundeswehr. Frequent flights to Frankfurt, the hometown of the partner, and stopovers in vacation spots caused a lot of criticism. Likewise his close connection to PR consultant Moritz Hunzinger.

Scharping no longer had any support in his own party or with the then Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. But that is crucial in such a headwind and ultimately cost him the office. At the time, the chancellor made it clear that it was not about Scharping resigning, rather he, the chancellor, was making use of his directive authority and asking the Federal President to dismiss Scharping. His career ended in 2002 with a word of authority.

Resignation after mistakes – the case of Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg

Copying, not quoting, adorning yourself with someone else’s feathers – everything came out in the doctoral thesis of former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg in March 2011. After the University of Bayreuth revoked his doctorate in the course of the plagiarism scandal, he had to resign. The trust was ruined.

It was only about him and the affair, no longer about the work of the soldiers. “I have reached the limits of my powers,” he said in his resignation speech at the time. Zu Guttenberg described the step himself as the most painful step of his life. His CSU party stuck with him for a long time, as did Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was not happy about the affair. But the pressure was too great and resignation was unavoidable.

Voluntary resignation – the case of Annette Schavan

“The office must not be damaged,” said Research Minister Annette Schavan when she voluntarily resigned in 2013 because of allegations of plagiarism. However, she made it clear that her resignation was not an admission of guilt.

If a research minister sues a university, it is a burden for the office, for the government. It was with a heavy heart that Chancellor Angela Merkel accepted the resignation and praised Schavan for the manner in which she put her personal well-being ahead of the common good.

Resignation with a new political career – the case of Franziska Giffey

Allegations of plagiarism and resignation? That doesn’t have to be the end of your political career. Franziska Giffey also resigned as Minister for Family Affairs because of mistakes in her doctoral thesis – in order to then be elected Berlin’s governing mayor. Many Berliners were surprised that resigning did not also mean withdrawing from politics. Now Giffey has to tremble for her job again – again because of mistakes, this time at the 2021 elections in Berlin.

Resignation after too much transparency – the case of Anne Spiegel

If you make a mistake, talk about it and apologize. That’s probably what the Green Family Minister Anne Spiegel thought when she stood in front of the press in April 2022 and explained why she went on vacation as a state politician during the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley. Bad timing back then, she had to admit. She explained it with the situation in her family and wanted to save her office.

But the way she explained it, in a tearful tone, very confused, ended up doing more damage than it repaired and cost her the office. The Scholz cabinet lost a minister after just five months. At the time, some wondered who had advised Spiegel before this performance. Similar questions that many a comrade is currently asking about Lambrecht’s private video.

Remain in office, no matter what happens – role model Andreas Scheuer?

The most stubborn non-resignation is certainly that of former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer. Despite many demands for his resignation and a toll debacle worth millions – he just didn’t work. That was also due to the strong support he had in the CSU.

Lambrecht still has support

Minister Lambrecht still has that in the SPD. Party leader Saskia Esken said she fully supports Lambrecht. Chancellor Scholz is still defending his defense minister. He says through his government spokesman that he considers her a “first-rate minister.” In the end, the chancellor decides, and he conducts the negotiations on arms deliveries to Ukraine anyway from the chancellery – with or without a minister.

You can see more on this topic in the report from Berlin on Sunday at 6 p.m.