German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced her resignation on Monday after a series of public missteps, writing in a letter to Chancellor Olaf Scholz that “months of media attention on me” have prevented her from effectively leading the armed forces. .
Lambrecht, 57, had been defense minister since December 2021 when Sholz became chancellor. She previously served as Minister of Justice and Minister for the Family and Women.
“The valuable work of the soldiers and many people in my department must come to the fore,” he wrote in the letter of resignation to Scholz, which he accepted.
Former German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht speaks to soldiers during a presentation at the ‘Erzgebirgskaserne’ barracks in Marienberg, eastern Germany, Thursday, January 12, 2023.
(Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
His resignation comes as Germany faces mounting pressure from allies to step up its military support for Ukraine, and Poland’s prime minister called on the German government to provide Leopard 2 battle tanks and other weapons to Kyiv on Monday.
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Germany has provided howitzers, Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and other military support to Ukraine for the past 11 months, recently announcing it will send 40 Marder armored personnel carriers and a battery of Patriot air defense missiles.
A new Leopard 2 A7V heavy battle tank of the Bundeswehr’s 9th Panzer Training Brigade stands during a visit by Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht to the training grounds of the Bundeswehr Army on February 7, 2022 in Münster, Germany.
(Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
The resignation also comes ahead of a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting later this week at the Ramstein airbase in Germany, where US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is set to host a meeting of allies. .
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Lambrecht’s replacement has not been announced. Scholz has vowed to have gender parity in his cabinet, which means he will likely appoint a woman to take Lambrecht’s place.
Soldiers of the Bundeswehr’s Panzergrenadierbrigade 37 mechanized infantry unit demonstrate the capabilities of the Marder (Schuetzenpanzer Marder) infantry fighting vehicle during a visit by German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht December 12, 2022 in Marienberg, Germany.
(Jens Schlueter/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, Scholz has defended his government’s “calm, well-considered and careful” decision-making when it comes to military support for Ukraine.
“The case always remains that we act in close consultation and weigh each step carefully,” Scholz said on Friday.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
