“House of Concerns”
Tailwind for Pistorius’ ministry restructuring
February 5, 2024, 2:18 a.m
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On the way to making the Bundeswehr combat-ready, Pistorius is also restructuring the Ministry of Defense. While the workers revolt, encouragement comes from the Union and the reservists. His predecessors had already cut their teeth on the “clay layer” of the department.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ reform to restructure the defense department has met with approval from the opposition and reservists. Roderich Kiesewetter, foreign and defense expert for the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, told the “Rheinische Post”: “I know from my own experience over the years that some staff representatives in the Federal Ministry of Defense are more likely to promote perseverance and fear of change than to promote innovative, long overdue reform steps in the interests of the employees support or even initiate yourself.”
It is not for nothing that people have been talking about a “layer of clay” for 25 years, the penetration of which many predecessors, including Rudolf Scharping and Pistorius’ predecessors, have given up on. “This is where Pistorius is rightly starting and deserves every support, especially since his own coalition let him down terribly when it came to the requested increase in budget,” said the CDU politician. The Bundeswehr’s warworthiness also requires a slim, tightly managed ministry. “Pistorius must now assert himself, otherwise his approaches will remain a waste,” said Kiesewetter.
Reservists: Ministry far too big
The president of the reservist association, Patrick Sensburg, also welcomed the reform. “The minister is on the right track when it comes to restructuring the Ministry of Defense. The ministry is far too big and in some cases more of a house of obstructors and those with concerns rather than a place that makes things possible,” said Sensburg. It is crucial that clear lines of command exist after the renovation. “After the ministry, the minister will not be able to avoid reorganizing the numerous commands and offices,” said Sensburg.
The chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, emphasized: “If it serves the cause to pick up speed and also to face the changing times in the ministry, a restructuring in the ministry can also make a lot of sense.” This is the responsibility of the minister as employer, the FDP politician told the “Rheinische Post”.
Reorganization applies from February 1st
The minister informed the civil servants and military officers in his house in a letter on Monday about details of the restructuring of the ministry. Around 300 positions from the ministry are to be relocated to the so-called subordinate area, i.e. to various sub-authorities within the department. From now on there should be a maximum of three subdivisions per department. The reorganization takes effect from February 1st; It was planned for January 1st.
According to “Spiegel”, the entire staff council was generally against the reform. “It is important for us to inform you and the employees that the GPR does not support the decisions to reorganize the ministry,” it said in a letter. The minister did not inform the committee. Pistorius contradicted this account.