The German chancellor shows his support for his defense minister after calls for her dismissal

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his defense minister, Christine Lambrecht, in the face of calls for her dismissal because of the video she published on New Year’s Eve.

Asked whether the minister still has the full confidence of the chancellor, deputy German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner said in Berlin on Wednesday: Yes, of course.

Buechner emphasized that “the chancellor cooperates well and is full of confidence with all colleagues in the cabinet, and this obviously applies to the aforementioned minister”.

And Lambrecht was once again subjected to great criticism after she posted, last Sunday, a video on her private Instagram account, during which she evaluated the year 2022.

It was sometimes difficult to hear some of the statements she made in the video, due to the sound of fireworks that were launched on New Year’s Eve, and she said that the past year presented everyone with unbelievable challenges, in reference to the Ukraine war.

Lambrecht, who belongs to Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, added: “There is a war raging in the center of Europe, and for me this was associated with many very special impressions that I was able to acquire… Many, many meetings with interesting and wonderful people”.

On Tuesday, the leaders of the Christian Alliance parties in Germany called for Lambrecht’s dismissal, as Friedrich Mertz, leader of the former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic party, said in press statements: “How long will the German chancellor watch?

Every hour that passes while Mrs. Lambrecht is still in office diminishes the chancellor’s authority at the present time”.

In the same context, Marcus Soeder, leader of the Bavarian Christian Social Party, demanded a quick change of minister, saying: “Mrs. Lambrecht sticks to her position more strongly than climate activists stick to on the way”.

And the head of the government of Bavaria believed that the minister “must eventually resign or be fired. The German chancellor appointed Mrs. Lambrecht and now has to solve this appointment problem”.

There is a state of anticipation about whether the Socialist Party will take a position on the minister during the closed annual meeting of the party’s parliamentary bloc, which is to be held next week.