Drone dispute: Fritz Felgentreu resigns as defense policy spokesman

Position: 15.12.2020 | Reading time: 3 minutes

reThe planned acquisition of armed drones has sparked a dispute and resignation in the SPD parliamentary group. The parliamentary group agreed on Tuesday not to accept drone armament for the German armed forces desired by the CDU-led Defense Ministry, as announced by SPD defense expert Fritz Felgentreu. He resigned from his post as defense policy spokesman for the parliamentary group in protest because he had “different opinions.”

Defense expert Felgentreu supports the purchase of armed drones; SPD party leader Norbert Walter-Borjans and parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich still do not want to approve the acquisition and have announced that further discussion is required.

The parliamentary group followed this view of top SPD politicians on Tuesday and wanted to continue discussing the weaponry of drones “openly and publicly,” it wrote. Felgentreu on Twitter. Respect this, “but the decision also presents me with a dilemma.”

Now he would have to distance himself “publicly and towards the Bundeswehr from my parliamentary party and party,” wrote the Berlin member of the Bundestag. Since a defense policy spokesperson can be expected to have “loyalty” to the leadership of the parliamentary group and the majority in the parliamentary group, he resigned his position as spokesman.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer commented on Twitter the decision of the parliamentary group SPD and Felgentreus: “This is a bitter day for our Bundeswehr in a double sense.” He thanked Felgentreu for his “personal commitment to our troops.”

CDU-Vorsitz candidate Norbert Röttgen wrote on the short message service, the SPD’s decision was “incomprehensible.” Felgentreu’s withdrawal is “a loss for the Bundestag”.

With the decision, the parliamentary group risks coming into conflict with the coalition partner Union. Kramp-Karrenbauer had come out in favor of the purchase of combat drones after a public consultation process. However, a few days ago, SPD party leader Norbert Walter-Borjans surprisingly expressed concern and needed more discussion.

According to information from the Funke newspapers, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Rolf Mützenich, supported Walter-Borjans’ position at the parliamentary group’s meeting on Tuesday. Mützenich argued that the “broad and detailed debate” on the controversial arms project called for in the coalition agreement has not yet taken place.

According to Funke’s information, Mützenich said that “armed and unarmed drones could provide greater protection to deployed soldiers.” However, it is also known from practice that armed drones can quickly lower the inhibition threshold for military violence. This needs to be discussed in depth.

Military chief of the Bundeswehr for the purchase of armed drones

The Federal Defense Ministry had organized several public debates this year, after which the head of department Kramp-Karrenbauer made the decision to buy armed drones. The military leadership of the Bundeswehr also strongly supports the acquisition.

Bundeswehr Inspector General Eberhard Zorn urged the Bundestag last week to approve the acquisition of the drones as soon as possible. “I wish so,” Zorn told the newspapers of the Germany publishing network when asked if he is still assuming a parliamentary resolution in this legislature.

Armed drones are “essential to protect our women and men in action,” Zorn said. Current and future conflicts can no longer be imagined without drones. “We must not lose contact in this area simply to take care of the troops and strengthen their operational courage.”