Christine Lambrecht (SPD) reprimands her employees for “gossip inculture”.

The pressure on SPD Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht is growing. Are there any plans to move to the interior department next year?

Berlin/Munich – On Friday morning you can see the Federal Minister of Defense with a jute bag in the Bundestag. Christine Lambrecht calmly pulls files out of the olive-green sack so that everyone can see it. Inscription: “We also fight that you can be against us.”

This is an advertising slogan of the Bundeswehr, with which the troops want to make it clear that they stand up for the free-democratic basic order and fight for our values ​​in an emergency. In this scene, however, there is also a message from the SPD politician to her critics: Then just be against me – I’ll fight anyway. Also about the office.

Christine Lamprecht has gotten on the defensive, harder than any other traffic light minister

The 56-year-old from Mannheim has gone on the defensive, harder than any other traffic light minister. Critics fumed that she was unfamiliar with the subject and disinterested. They cite several unfortunate interviews with the minister, in which she directly or indirectly stated that she did not learn ranks. Some are offended by the minister’s high heels when visiting the troops in Mali – the criticism can either be chauvinistic or the process symptomatic. The enormous fuss about the 21-year-old son traveling in Bundeswehr aircraft completes the picture.

What weighs more heavily are political allegations: Lambrecht has acted unhappily with the arms deliveries to Ukraine from the beginning (the thing with the helmets) until today. In the meantime, a lot has been promised, but “the truth is that almost nothing has been delivered for weeks,” said opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) this week in the Bundestag. More clearly than ever he called on the Chancellor to fire Lambrecht. “They’re going to have to do it at some point over the next few weeks and months anyway. So do it soon.”

The minister has also completely messed things up with the CSU. In March, they buried the Bavarian site for the A400M transport aircraft – for Lechfeld, a decision that cost an investment of 170 million euros. Since then, only critical tones have come from the CSU. This is also reflected in demographics. Lambrecht has slumped in the ZDF political barometer, far behind Markus Söder and Sahra Wagenknecht, while the Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is experiencing a surge in popularity.

Lambrecht defends himself: “A lot has been implemented in a very short time”

Lambrecht defends himself. She “implemented a lot in a very short time,” she says in an interview with “t-online” and refers to the procurement of drones, for example. She wanted to remain in office and ensure “that the Bundeswehr is finally properly equipped”. However, things are already ablaze in their own department. She criticizes indiscretions, mockery like that, she likes to finish work at 3 p.m. There is a “non-culture” in the house “to feed the media with rumours, gossip and hall radio”. This is “an unfortunate development, especially for a ministry that is responsible for security policy.”

Trouble with the opposition, Zoff in the house – what now? The idea of ​​at least transferring Lambrecht to the interior department has been circulating in the SPD for a long time. The minister there, Nancy Faeser, is to become the SPD’s top candidate for the state elections in Hesse in autumn 2023. Although this has never been officially said, it is considered agreed in Hesse. Lambrecht puts pressure on the matter. In an interview, she says that of course she wants to do her job in the defense department. But, explicitly asked about a change: “I’m counting on Nancy Faeser not only becoming the top candidate, but also the first female Prime Minister in Hesse.” – CHRISTIAN GERMAN