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MenschlicherMensch t1_j4kiqkl wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in German defense minister announces resignation by misana123

The two most likely candidates are Eva Högl, the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, or Siemtje Möller, parliamentary secretary of defence. Both seem to be competent, interessted and wouldn't break the gender parity.

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LionsLoseAgain t1_j4l4bvg wrote

I am sorry but gender parity should not matter at all. The most qualified person should get the job. Ridiculous how Germany has taken this long to get its shit together when a war is happening in their backyard.

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MenschlicherMensch t1_j4lbt3m wrote

While I know where you are coming from, gender parity isn't the reason the ministry of defence got the worst ministers year after year. I mean, Lambrechts predecessor was AKK, who was probably the best minister since forever and a woman. The reason Lambrecht got the job is her beckground in the SPD and because no one took the job serious before russias war. And I mean, if there are competent and interested women like Möller and Högl, no problem, give em the job. Gender parity isn't really a problem, when there are enough competent people to choose from. And you can't really measure competence after a certain point, after that it is only guessing, there is no ultimate competence. Even Lauterbach, probably the most hyped minister, has struggled to fulfill the high hopes people had with him. The problem, which arises with gender parity, is that every single woman gets accused of only getting the job because of it and it being blamed for incompetent people like Lambrecht instead of the more problematic, systemic problem: That most ministers get their position not because of their competence, but of their connections and history with the party they are part of.

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LionsLoseAgain t1_j4lcda8 wrote

Yeah, if you guys in Germany can actually stop filling important positions like the defense department with establishment political party figure heads we all would appreciate it. It makes you look completely unserious.

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[deleted] t1_j4le8vf wrote

[deleted]

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Urdar t1_j4m7j86 wrote

> After 30 years of peace & unity in Europe and a strong NATO, it's understandable that the filler post in DE was the defense one, but everything changed when the fire nation RUs attacked...

this is precisely the point: Lambrecht was given the position before the whole kerfuffle started and the importance of job skyrocketed.

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stormelemental13 t1_j4m7bb5 wrote

> Tbf every democracy tends to have parties designate some cabinet positions as sidetracked posts to be given out to tick political boxes.

I think that's one of the advantages of a US-style presidential system. Cabinet ministers are more likely, not always but more often, to be chosen for expertise rather than political considerations. See the Secretaries Blinken and Austin.

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[deleted] t1_j4mnrsl wrote

[removed]

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KLUME777 t1_j4niyql wrote

I don't see that as incompetent for the job. He was a McKinsey consultant and has demonstrated himself very capable. It wouldn't be difficult for him to surround himself with transport experts for advice.

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MoogTheDuck t1_j4m9zgl wrote

I think you're missing something... in parliamentary systems there are public servants (in canada, deputy minister) who in theory is the expert on the portfolio. The minister is the politician accountable (politically) for the portfolio. It's not as if the defence minister is 'running the army' all by themselves.

Not saying it's better or worse, and certainly I have seen abject morons given a portfolio when they can't tie their own shoelaces.

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stormelemental13 t1_j4mfqfh wrote

You're right, they aren't running it by themselves, but they are running it.

Particularly in the German system, I don't know as much about the Canadian one, the ministers are pretty autonomous. Expert underlings don't help if the top person insists on going in a bad direction. And parliamentary systems, particularly the heavily negotiated coalition governments we often see in Europe seem more likely to give out assignments based on power sharing criteria rather than their suitability. Sometimes you get lucky, like Baerbock and Habeck, and sometimes you get Lambrecht.

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MoogTheDuck t1_j4mklxw wrote

Absolutely agree, but of course in US republic systems, politics plays a role in minister/secretary appointments as well. The system is only as good as the people running it...

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thegreatjamoco t1_j4o7u5g wrote

In the US, the treasurer (not to be confused with the secretary of the treasury) has almost always been a woman since the 1960s. Since GWB it’s almost always been a Latina woman.

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red286 t1_j4msi5t wrote

>Yeah, if you guys in Germany can actually stop filling important positions like the defense department with establishment political party figure heads we all would appreciate it.

To be fair, it wasn't an important position until last January. Unlike the USA where the defense department is one of the major economic drivers of the entire country, in nations like Germany, it's just a black hole for money. And unlike in the USA, that cabinet position isn't going to be a stepping stone to a cushy high-paying executive job at a defense manufacturer. It's more of a dead-end position or a temporary position before someone gets moved into a better cabinet post.

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marklondon66 t1_j4m31li wrote

Gender parity is important and there are plenty of competent women available for this role (as listed above in the post you replied to.)

Your later comment about cabinet jobs not going to long-serving politicians as a reward/perk is mildly hilarious coming from an American (as am I).

Yes we need Germany to be more proactive in Ukraine. But we also know why they have serious issues with miltarism and lets not pretend we don't. :-)

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zpool_scrub_aquarium t1_j4nfe7f wrote

It sure is ideal if both genders are represented, but it's not an ideal approach to attempt to achieve that by introducing more sexism. Could gender quota be needed? Maybe. But let's not pretend as if it is anything approaching ideal. After all, there already have been countless examples of women rising to the top in German politics because of their credentials and skills.

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rapaxus t1_j4kp36o wrote

Another option would be to either move Wolfgang Schmidt (unlikely) or Hubertus Heil (somewhat likely) to the defence ministry and replace them with a woman. Heil esp. showed that he can run a ministry quite competently.

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burnandrape t1_j4l8osi wrote

> can run a ministry quite competently

That’s why I would love to see him stay in that role. He really tries to change the rotten system and seems to be the only competent person in the SPD.

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theresnoyinhappiness t1_j4ky8lk wrote

Can’t imagine Germany would put someone named “Heil” in charge of military matters. Not saying I agree with this, but I don’t see this happening.

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rapaxus t1_j4l0ivy wrote

Well, it would be a funny meme :)

But really, it is a name that isn't too uncommon and it isn't as if "heil" is a completely taboo word in German. And he seems the most competent out of all candidates and is the one where we can have the most certainty that he will do it well, which is the most important qualification currently IMO. Even if e.g. Högl could do the job very well, we don't know how well she performs as a full minister and the last thing I want is another incompetent defence minister. With Heil you just have a safe pick.

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