Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has asked for her release.

The SPD politician drew the conclusion from personal missteps and a widely perceived as inadequate management.

On Sunday evening, party leader Lars Klingbeil said on television that Lambrecht had "backing" in the SPD.

Peter Carstens

Political correspondent in Berlin

  • Follow I follow

However, this had clearly not been the case for weeks, at the latest since a mobile phone video by the minister on New Year's Eve, in which Lambrecht had commented very personally on the year that was going on in front of the backdrop of the beginning New Year's Eve fireworks.

Even more serious was the ongoing criticism of the way in which many observers perceived the administration to be characterized by disinterest and a lack of insight into political and military necessities.

In a brief statement distributed by the Ministry of Defense on Monday morning, Lambrecht wrote: “The media focus on my person for months hardly allows factual reporting and discussion about the soldiers, the Bundeswehr and security policy decisions in the interests of the citizens of Germany. “The Bundeswehr must be in the foreground.

She therefore decided to make her position available and would like to thank everyone "who is committed to our security every day".

She wishes them “all the best for the future from the bottom of my heart”.

Who will succeed Lambrecht in the ministry should not be announced until Tuesday.

The FAZ learned this from government circles.

"Out of respect for their decision" on Monday, the announcement of the successor plan will be postponed until tomorrow, it said.

Neither the Chancellery nor the SPD leadership had commented on the intentions to resign at the weekend, Klingbeil had said on Sunday that he would not comment on newspaper reports.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a visit to the brewery in Ulm on Monday afternoon.

Nevertheless, the question of succession is considered urgent, because numerous Western defense ministers are meeting in Germany on Thursday to discuss the next steps in military aid to Ukraine.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is also expected to attend the meeting.

Until then, Scholz and the new minister must provide answers to urgent requests for the delivery of German-made Leopard tanks.

Demand for a political heavyweight

Various names for Lambrecht's successor had already been traded over the weekend.

SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil and labor minister Hubertus Heil are potential candidates, as are the Bundestag's military commissioner, Eva Högl, and chancellor's head Wolfgang Schmidt.

Various voices called for a political heavyweight in the post.

“Defense policy has now become existential for Germany;

this is no longer a political side issue," said former military commissioner Hans-Peter Bartels (SPD) to the editorial network Germany (RND, Monday).

“The decision about the successor should be based on that.

The chancellor needs someone with great political fighting weight.”

The FDP defense politician Alexander Müller said the ministry needed "a clever and experienced head, someone with the courage to consistently implement the turning point." Lambrecht's resignation deserves respect, he added.

In the “Bild” newspaper, the chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, André Wüstner, called for a person who “can be placed across party lines” and who understands “the big picture”. and be assertive". Wüstner added: "Nobody expects magic to happen in the first few weeks, but a message of departure would be more important than ever."

Union politician Wadephul described Klingbeil and Högl as "the only SPD politicians who could fill the office from day one".

He added: "And that's exactly what it has to be about, we owe it to our allies as well."