Steinmeier appoints Pistorius as the new Federal Defense Minister

Federal President Steinmeier has dismissed Christine Lambrecht from her office. And Boris Pistorius presented the certificate of appointment as Defense Minister.

Bundespresident Frank Walter Steinmeier has appointed the SPD politician Boris Pistorius as the new Federal Defense Minister. Steinmeier presented the former Interior Minister of Lower Saxony with his certificate of appointment on Thursday morning. At the same time, the Federal President dismissed Pistorius’ predecessor Christine Lambrecht, who had announced her resignation on Monday after sustained criticism of her conduct of office.

With the appointment by Steinmeier, he turned 62 Pistorius Holder of command and command authority over the German armed forces. At 9 a.m. Pistorius takes his oath of office in front of the Bundestag.

The SPD politician will then be received with military honors at around 9.40 a.m. in the Federal Defense Ministry, and a short press statement is also planned. At around 11 a.m. the minister received his first foreign guest, the American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

The two defense ministers are expected to attend an international meeting at the US base in Ramstein in Rhineland-Palatinate on Friday. The NATO states and other countries want to discuss increasing military aid for Ukraine there. In the run-up, the delivery of battle tanks was discussed in particular.