The Union claims Pistorius has given in to the demands of mandatory military service.
The Union is claiming that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius caved into pressure from the SPD party regarding the introduction of conscription in Germany.
Florian Hahn, the defense policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, expressed his dissatisfaction to the German Press Agency, stating, "Instead of making the right decision for Germany's security, the Defense Minister didn't even properly push for his conscription announcements within his party."
"He's chosen to side with Chancellor Scholz, who's more concerned about addressing the manpower shortage in the Bundeswehr as a manageable issue than the military threat from Russia," Hahn continued.
According to a "Spiegel" report, Pistorius presented key aspects of his plan to the SPD presidium, primarily focusing on voluntary service and a questionnaire for all 18-year-olds. The word "conscription" was apparently not well-received.
"This move by the Chancellor, the Minister, and the SPD marks the complete abandonment of the 'country first, party second' principle and sacrifices German security for election campaigns," Hahn remarked.
Pistorius has been criticized for being an ineffective minister, with Hahn describing him as "a hollow-sounding politician struggling to keep up". His failure to deliver on various construction projects and his position in the traffic light ministries' distribution struggle have further weakened his standing.
Even his highly anticipated conscription proposal, which is still forthcoming, is not backed by his party, the cabinet, or the traffic light coalition. The minister and chancellor are both at risk of losing support due to the controversy.
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- Despite the compulsory military service being a contentious issue, Defense Minister Pistorius opted for a plan focusing on voluntary service and a questionnaire, which did not include conscription, leading to criticism of his decision affecting Germany's security.
- The decision to shy away from compulsory military service by Pistorius faced scrutiny, as critics argued that this choice could potentially lead to 'buckling' under pressure from political parties, potentially impacting the country's security.
- In the face of opposition from within his party and the cabinet, Defense Minister Pistorius' proposal for mandatory military service has yet to gain traction, raising concerns about his ability to effectively carry out his role in ensuring national security.
Source: www.ntv.de
