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stormelemental13 t1_j4m7bb5 wrote

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

> 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

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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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