Trust on the orders: Kramp-Karrenbauer is in support of soldiers

For a week she is in office. Now Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer is doing in front of the Bundestag your oath as a fresh-baked defence Minister. In the case of the soldiers of the New launches, however, with skepticism.

A praise and a commitment to the new defense Minister Annegret Kramp-karrenbauer wants to win the German soldiers for themselves: “Germany can rely on you”, calls out to you of the force. And pushes afterwards: “And you can count on me.”

In your first “orders of the day” had directed the new commander of these sentences on the soldiers of the Bundeswehr. And in her first major appearance in the new office in front of 400 recruits again Kramp-karrenbauer repeated again. The young soldiers were on 20. In July, the 75. Anniversary of the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, to pledge ceremony in Berlin started.

“Quickly snapped”

Respect and trust of the soldiers will have to Kramp-karrenbauer, however, only develop. “It is not easy for you,” says the German Bundeswehr-soldier Nariman Hammouti-Reinke of the DW. “You picked the worst Job,” says the officer, who does as a “Lieutenant to sea” close to Bremen, your service and the Association “German soldier”, projecting that advocate for more diversity in the armed forces. “The force is relatively swiftly snapped. You have to see how it manifests itself,” says Hammouti-Reinke.

Here in the country: Nariman Hammouti-Reinke

The soldiers had made with the commanders of the policy to many bad experiences. Around 2017, as the Ursula von der Leyen, the officers have a “attitude problem” in dealing with the extreme-Right accused it of. Not four days after their appointment, Kramp-Karrenbauer distanced himself clearly from the reproach of their predecessor. “There is no General suspicion against our soldiers,” said the new Secretary of defense of the Frankfurter General Sunday newspaper.

Listen, Think

As a week ago it was announced that Kramp-Karrenbauer accepts the office, Ursula von der Leyens, as EU Commission President to Brussels goes, since held Hammouti-Reinke, the first for a joke. “I had to handle the time until then,” she says. Many soldiers are said to have wanted someone at the top, the closer to the German armed forces, such as state Secretary Peter Tauber. The former CDU General Secretary has served in the armed forces and is a captain in the Reserve.

Go for the German armed forces?

A defence Minister to reproach, that she’s a civilian – it was “complete nonsense” on the other hand says Carlo Masala, Professor for International politics at the Bundeswehr University in Munich. “A Minister must have no experience with the troupe,” says Masala in an interview with DW. “She takes on a house that has a lot of Expertise. Because it’s all about listening and thinking.”

Double-charged

Kramp cart Builder, words to come so far, positive in the troupe, writes Masala. “The actions speak louder. A real Signal would go to the soldiers on the ground to not only for cute photo ops, but for serious talks.” In addition, Kramp-karrenbauer had to use for functioning Material, and an improved readiness of the force.

“Action must follow”, says Professor Carlo Masala

And that is in addition to the Minister yet, the CDU-Chairman? A double burden, especially if it happens in 2021? No, says Masala. Angela Merkel has been 13 years in parallel to the chancellorship party Chairman. “There has been none, the question is whether you can wuppen this double burden also.”

Heavy weight such as ostrich

Jürgen Görlich from the armed forces Association provides for the dual role, even as a big advantage. “We have someone who is a heavy weight in politics,” says the Vice-Chairman of the 200,000 member strong Association in the DW-interview. It did not exist since Franz-Josef Strauss, in the 1960s, CSU-chief and at the same time the Minister of defense,. “As a political heavyweight, a certain amount of clout in the Cabinet. And that is what we expect now, actually, for the armed forces.”

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This bill could work. The German armed forces enjoy from now on “highest political priority”, has Kramp announced-Karrenbauer already. It calls for more money for the Bundeswehr. What exactly do you plan to do with it, can explain the new defense Minister this Wednesday the Deputy of the Bundestag. In front of you, you shall fulfill your oath of office and then has 15 minutes time for a government statement. Title: “the responsibility for the future of Germany. For a strong German armed forces in a changing world.” The deputies of the Bundestag from the holiday break will be brought back to Berlin. And is set up in the Foyer of the Paul-Löbe-Haus next to the Reichstag, a provisional Parliament hall. The actual chamber is currently being renovated.

First processing

Policy-Professor Masala expected that Kramp-Karrenbauer in your government’s Declaration of three areas of focus: first, a commitment to the defence Alliance NATO, secondly, to the continuation of the reforms of its predecessor. And thirdly: “I think she will and she should repeat that she is also the Minister of defence of the soldiers. You should again send a clear Signal to the troops that here is a Minister come in, which will pay particular attention to the needs of the soldiers.” New reform ideas, one should not expect, however, assumes Masala. There are to many of the initiated projects had to be led to a good end.

Hammouti-Reinke hopes that the new defence provides the Minister for better personnel and material equipment of the Bundeswehr and, thus, continues, what will Ursula von der Leyen added. “I’m an officer with a body and a soul, and I will give her a Chance”. What she did not wish, however, that the Secretary of defense, is using the armed forces as a political stage to collect points on the way to the chancellorship. Because Kramp cart Builder, ambitions should go beyond the Ministry of defence and beyond.