JAKARTA - German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht stepped down from Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Administration on Monday, amid criticism and pressure.
"Today I asked the chancellor to dismiss me from the post of federal defense minister," Lambrecht, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), said in a statement.
His decision to step down came as Germany came under pressure to approve increased international military support for Kyiv, and German defense capabilities were questioned after several Puma infantry tanks malfunctioned during recent military exercises.
Lambrecht has been criticized for failing to quickly strengthen Bundeswehr, although a special 100 billion euros has been approved for that purpose after Russia invaded Ukraine. Most recently, Lambrecht was criticized by the media and opposition figures for uploading outdoor videos on social media in the New Year, where he thanked soldiers and women, but was barely heard from the background sound of firecrackers and fireworks.
While citing AP, Lambrecht said "the focus of the media for months on my personality" had hindered factual debates about the military and German security policies.
"The valuable work of the soldiers and many people in my department must be put forward," he said.
Lambrecht, 57, has served as Minister of Defense since Scholz became Chancellor of Germany in December 2021. Critics have long described it as absurd, but Scholz back it, describing it last month as a "class one defense minister".
Lambrecht's resignation comes at a sensitive time, as Scholz faces mounting pressure to take significant step forward in German military aid to Ukraine by approving the delivery of the Leopard 2 fighting tank.
Earlier this month, Germany agreed to provide 40 carriers of Marder armored personnel and Patriot air defense missile batteries to Kyiv.
Germany has provided substantial support to Ukraine in recent months, including howitzer, the self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon Gepard, and the first of the four IRIS-T surface-to-air missile systems.
But critics, some within the German governing coalition, have long complained of Chancellor Scholz's hesitation to step up aid.
It is not yet clear whether Chancellor Scholz will appoint a replacement on Monday, according to government sources.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Hoegl, defense youth minister Siemtje Moeller, party chairman of SPD Lars Klingbeil and Minister of Manpower Hubertus categorized as successors by German media.
The pressure to find a replacement quickly also increased, as US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's plans to arrive in Berlin on Thursday, attending his next-day conference at the US military base in Ramstein, to discuss further support for Ukraine.
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