Lambrecht resignation marks a setback for ruling coalition
Former German defence minister Christine Lambrecht attends a news conference on the Puma battle tanks, following a meeting at the Ministry of Defence in Berlin, Germany, in this January 13 2023 file photo. Picture: FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
The 57-year-old trained lawyer was under scrutiny for a lack of military expertise, with the criticism intensifying after a poorly executed New Year’s Eve video that seemed to make light of the war in Ukraine. The Social Democrats are responsible for appointing a successor, and time is pressing. A meeting of senior defence officials from allied nations is scheduled for Friday at the US airbase in Ramstein, Germany. Before the gathering, the government is expected to make a decision on tank deliveries.
The upheaval marks a setback for the ruling coalition and risks disrupting decisions critical to the international effort to stand up against the Kremlin. Scholz’s administration faces pressure to supply Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine after Poland and Finland said they wanted to send the German-made combat vehicles.
Before reports of her planned departure surfaced, Lambrecht on Friday gave little indication that she was ready to leave. In a press conference, she said Germany will continue to use the new Puma armoured fighting vehicles despite recent technical failures.
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