Apparently, Christine Lambrecht wants to resign as Federal Minister of Defense. When Scholz appointed her to his cabinet, he was looking for a social democratic quota woman. This mistake must not be repeated.

In her video at the turn of the year: What was the main mistake made by Christine Lambrecht, the Federal Minister of Defence? No, it wasn’t the flippant self-centeredness with which she reported on the contacts she had found.

Nor the arrogance with which she ignored the gunfire in the background. Lambrecht’s crucial mistake points to the reason that will cost her the ministerial office at the end of her year of suffering:

She didn’t say a single word about the soldiers who are currently defending Germany’s security abroad – and who are therefore unable to be with their families.

All words about themselves, not a word about their wards: a minister must not allow himself such a dereliction of duty. And why should there be a loan for a minister?

Anyone who has lost the troops’ trust can no longer be the political, let alone the military, leader of the soldiers. That was Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cardinal mistake:

When he appointed Lambrecht to the ministerial office, he was not looking for a good defense minister, but for a social democratic quota woman. The irony of the story is that Lambrecht lived up to that expectation.

Your tenure basically ended the day Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. From this point in time, the holder of the authority to issue guidelines took over from the holder of the authority to command and command in peacetime.

Scholz announced the turning point, and even then he made all the groundbreaking decisions himself. With all the consequences that this also has for himself: Olaf Scholz is now considered a hesitant, and his non-decisions have already damaged Germany’s reputation.

A chancellor who suspects that he still hasn’t gotten over his party’s old, Russia-fixated security policy, plus a social democratic defense minister who constantly demonstrates that she can’t cope with the job – too much of a bad thing.

If Lambrecht leaves now, then at the point in time that is just about possible for the Chancellor. Every longer day damages the chancellor. It doesn’t matter whether Lambrecht leaves out of insight or for other reasons. There is no alternative to your resignation.

And now? It should be the best, it is the most important ministry in these times. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a woman or a man.

Nor should it matter what coalition arithmetic seems to dictate that Lambrecht’s successor should again be a Social Democrat. He should be nothing less than a strong Federal Minister of Defense.

Important decisions will be made in Ramstein next week. Basically, it’s about what role Germany wants to play in Europe. Does the federal government want to swim along – or lead?

Olaf Scholz has until the middle of the week to decide. It’s time for a turning point.

Ministry of Defense – No experienced expertise since 1988SPD problem – Christine Lambrecht: Germany’s controversial defense minister