Time.news – A few days after the new meeting of the contact group for the defense of Ukraine in Ramstein, which will also be attended by the secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, the Government ‘German traffic light creaks again. The meeting, hosted by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which will focus on the crisis in Kiev and the related security problems facing NATO allies and partners, will see the defense minister change in the running.
Indeed, Christine Lambrecht resigned today, at a very delicate moment in the country’s debate on weapons to be sent to Ukraine (in particular, the possible sending of Leopard tanks) and after many criticisms of her management of the ministry. The chancellor assured that he had “clear ideas” about her succession and promised that she would act quickly to fill the vacant position.
But the image of Merkel’s solid Germany now seems a faded memory. The war in Ukraine and the change of course in energy policies seem to have completely disoriented German politics. And the Lambrecht case is only the culmination of a critical moment that has recently seen the finance minister, the liberal Lindner, and the economy minister, the green Habeck, come under fire.
Lambrecht’s resignation had been in the air for weeks: 57 years old, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Prime Minister Olaf Scholz himself, Lambrecht had for months been at the center of controversy not only in the party but also in the media. In Germany, the defense portfolio has always been difficult, even in peacetime, and now appears to be even more so in wartime.
Even before the start of the conflict, but when there were already Russian troop movements on the border, Lambrecht had caused an uproar by announcing the shipment of 5,000 helmets to Ukraine: a laughable aid, considering the extent of the Russian threat, an aid that became even more ridiculous considering that it was late in arriving.
In recent months, his photos had also aroused confusion, in a helicopter on a visit by troops in northern Germany, together with his son, loaded onto the vehicle before they went on vacation together. Lastly, the minister had been much criticized for the video message recorded in a Berlin street on New Year’s Eve, in which she took stock of the war, while all around her there was the deafening noise of firecrackers and fireworks.
But the problem is always Scholz who apparently on the history of war he is alienating the sympathies of all of Europe. The pressure on arms in Kiev is increasing and just in recent days Denmark has joined Poland, Finland and the United Kingdom in requesting that Berlin also give the green light to the delivery of the Leopard tanks.
According to the German newspaper Handelsblatt, the federal government is now preparing to deliver the most powerful tanks to Ukraine. However, this decision could be postponed due to the manufacturer, Rheinmettal, who also intervened today to bring the Government back to reality: “Even if we decide to send our Leopards to Kiev tomorrow, the delivery would be postponed until the beginning of next year” . CEO Armin Papperberger said in an interview.
But the German problem is not only defense. Another “traffic light” government minister also made headlines: il liberal Christian Lindner (FDP) he is in fact suspected of having had relations with the private bank BBBank and is accused by the Berlin prosecutor of abuse of office. In 2022, the Finance Minister shot a video praising the institution which, among other things, financed the mortgage for his Berlin home.
Lindner has denied all allegations claiming that he applied for the loan when he was not yet a minister. But other evidence has emerged: the bank would have added another 2.8 million euros to the 2.35 already granted previously.
But the coalition party that is feeling the pinch the most is the Greens. At a time when dependence on Russian gas has become a cardinal sin, the Minister responsible for the Economy, Robert Habeck, was forced to give a clean slate to environmentalist policies par excellence: extended the shutdown of the last two nuclear power plants, and had to reopen coal-fired plants are drawing the ire of activists.
The popularity of Habeck, who was billed as Germany’s next chancellor a year ago and was by far the country’s most popular politician, has plummeted to 17%.
The apotheosis of the protest was just last Saturday in the village of Lutzerath, in eastern Germany, destined to disappear to make way for the expansion of the adjacent open-air coal mine managed by the German energy company Rwe.
Activist Greta Thunberg also joined the thousands of protesters who were eventually evicted. But the images of the clashes, of Greta being forcibly removed and of the policemen in riot gear will only contribute to the idea of a country in an identity crisis.