Despite the recent appointment of Nicole Schilling as Deputy General Inspector of the German Armed Forces, Agnieszka Brugger, Deputy Chair of the Green Party parliamentary group, has voiced concerns regarding the continued underrepresentation of women in leadership roles within the military.
Speaking to Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Brugger acknowledged the positive aspect of a service member attaining such a high position. However, she emphasized that this does not negate the broader issue of a lack of female representation in leadership. “While many rightly celebrate that a soldier has finally taken on such a high post, this does not hide the lack of representation of women in leadership positions” she stated. Brugger further commented on Defence Minister Boris Pistorius’s pronouncements on equality, stating that “it is actions that count.
Her remarks appeared to indirectly address the appointment of Jens Plötner as State Secretary for Armaments, suggesting that in critical situations, political affiliation can seemingly outweigh experience, expertise and representation.
Brugger did offer praise for the appointment of Christian Freuding as Inspector of the Army, describing him as “one of the most impressive people I have had the opportunity to meet during my many years of work in the Defence Committee”. She expressed confidence in his leadership, noting his commitment, attitude and clear direction.
It’s worth noting that a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence conceded in May of last year that the percentage of women in military leadership positions within the ministry stood at approximately 2 percent, with a slightly higher figure of 16 percent across the entire armed forces.