A new Wehrbeauftragter of the German Bundestag, Henning Otte, has criticized the Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, for lacking progress in modernizing the German military. In an interview with the news magazine “Focus” Otte stated, “The first half of the Zeitenwende has been missed. We now have the second half and there won’t be a third.” He believes that too much time has been wasted since the Zeitenwende speech by the former Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
Otte emphasized the need for the German military to be better equipped for combat, citing the lack of modern battle tanks and the slow progress in the procurement of drones. He also criticized the Defense Ministry for not having a clear direction, with some units still lacking essential equipment. The new Wehrbeauftragter sees an “increased need for action” in the Defense Ministry, particularly in regards to the personnel shortages within the military.
Otte also expressed his concerns about the Defense Ministry’s plan to increase the military’s personnel by up to 60,000, saying that Minister Pistorius should now present a clear plan for how this will be achieved. The new Wehrbeauftragter aims to use his term in office to improve the conditions for the 181,000 soldiers in Germany, including reducing the need for long commutes or remote work, which often separates families. Otte emphasized the need for a “review of career paths” to allow soldiers to spend more time with their families while serving in the military, in order to have a “cold-start capable” army, as the goal is.