German Federal Parliament Elects New Defense Inspectorate Chief
The German Federal Parliament has elected Henning Otte, a former Christian Democratic Union (CDU) member, as the new Defense Inspectorate Chief. Otte received 391 votes, with 188 against and 28 abstentions.
The parliament’s previous Defense Inspectorate Chief, Eva Högl, had her farewell address and presented her final report earlier in the day. Högl warned that democracy is under threat in Europe and Germany, emphasizing the importance of having a fully deployable Bundeswehr for credible deterrence and effective defense.
Hölg highlighted the need for sufficient and fully deployable personnel as the key to the Bundeswehr’s defense capability. She lamented that the German military is aging and shrinking, stating that this trend must be urgently reversed.
While progress has been made in recent years, with a 18.5% increase in job applications, an 8% rise in new recruits and a 25% increase in re-enlistments, Högl emphasized that the goal of having 203,000 active soldiers by 2031 remains elusive.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (Social Democratic Party) praised Högl’s service, describing her as the “Defense Inspectorate Chief of the times of change.” He commended her for listening to the soldiers and representing their interests effectively.
In his farewell address, Pistorius highlighted the importance of bureaucratic streamlining, acceleration and modernization, as well as the need for sufficient and deployable personnel. He emphasized that Hölg’s report for 2024 serves as a valuable indicator of the country’s preparedness to ensure security and freedom in times of crisis.
The office of the Defense Inspectorate Chief is enshrined in the German Constitution and serves to monitor the parliament’s control over the armed forces. The Defense Inspectorate Chief is responsible for ensuring the protection of soldiers’ rights and the adherence to the principles of Inner Leadership and submits an annual report on the state of the Bundeswehr. Every soldier can directly approach the Defense Inspectorate Chief with their concerns.