Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU) has warned Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) against actions that might weaken the Bundeswehr’s regional State Commands. According to reporting by “Bild” Söder expressed “irritation and concern” over what he described as ongoing planning within the Ministry of Defense.
Söder contended that making significant cuts to permanent positions and introducing further organizational changes would undermine these State Commands, despite them serving as “the central link between the Federal Armed Forces and the states”. He stated that such a path would be detrimental not only to Germany but also to the Bundeswehr itself.
While Söder emphasized Bavaria’s strong support for the restructuring of the Bundeswehr aimed at strengthening both domestic and alliance defense, he also pointed out that regional states remain dependent on the Federal Armed Forces for rapid support during disaster situations. He warned that the proposed measures, particularly in light of the “Operationsplan Deutschland” would directly counteract the cooperation necessary between the federal government, the states, and local municipalities. For Söder, a “disproportionate reduction of the State Commands” would be a setback for both overall national resilience and Germany’s comprehensive defense structure.
Furthermore, the Minister-President called for the “growing homeland defense forces” to be subordinated to the State Commands once again, returning to a previous arrangement where they could closely collaborate with civil defense structures. Drawing a parallel to the 2024 floods in Southern Germany, Söder cautioned against any further reductions in personnel or leadership structures. He concluded by demanding that Pistorius cease pursuing the “apparently intended changes” stressing that the goal should be to strengthen, not weaken, the State Commands and the Operational Command. The Ministry of Defense did not immediately comment on these accusations.
