Four missteps Lambrecht took as Germany’s defence minister

German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht has resigned following a series of fiascos and sharp policy turns that drew heavy criticism.

Lambrecht was widely criticised by the opposition parties for failing to show leadership and being slow with weapons deliveries for Ukraine.

Here, we take a look at four missteps that led to the Social Democrat politician's resignation.

The new year’s video

Lambrecht came under fire earlier this month after she posted a New Year's speech on social media, which was filmed during celebrations in Berlin.

"There’s a war raging in the middle of Europe,” she said, while fireworks in the background made it hard to hear her words.

“And connected with that for me were a lot of special impressions that I was able to gain - many, many meetings with interesting, great people.”

The video, criticised as tone-deaf by many, became a trigger for her resignation as German opposition politicians and defence experts called the video an “embarrassment,” urging the defence minister to step down.

Slow Ukraine response

The politician had also faced criticism for months over what critics say is Germany's wavering response to the conflict in Ukraine.

Even before the invasion, the minister was mocked in January 2022 for her announcement that Germany would send 5,000 helmets to Kiev, where the Ukrainian government was seeking heavy weapons to ward off Moscow.

Failing to improve the Bundeswehr

Germany's armed forces, known as the Bundeswehr, have suffered for years from neglect and in particular from ageing, poorly functioning equipment.

Lambrecht was condemned for failing to improve the notoriously ill-equipped Bundeswehr. 

This was despite the provision of $108 billion (100 billion euros) for that task following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the minister failed to implement.

In December, Lambrecht dismissed suggestions that the government had been too slow to get going on its spending drive.

She said officials have moved fast but that “such projects must be carefully negotiated - this is tax money".

The long-running debate over the state of Germany's defence capabilities also intensified last month when several Puma infantry tanks were put out of service during a recent military drill.

The helicopter flight

Lambrecht was also the centre of discontent last spring when she took her 21-year-old son along on a military helicopter flight on their way to a family vacation.

The trip became public when he posted a photo to Instagram that it turned out the minister had taken herself.

Her ministry said she had applied for permission and paid the costs herself, but critics said it showed poor judgment.

German media questioned the wisdom of the move, with Der Spiegel magazine saying it "raised some eyebrows".

The Bild daily asked whether the holiday had been necessary at all in the middle of the Ukraine crisis.