Switching Gears: Jens Plötner Stepping Up as Armaments State Secretary
Former advisor to Olaf Scholz, Jens Plötner, appointed as the new Secretary of State for Defense - Defense Advisor Jens Plötner gets appointed as the new Defense Secretary
Get ready for a shake-up in Germany's defense sector! Jens Plötner, a seasoned diplomat with a knack for foreign policy, is gearing up to revamp the Bundeswehr in his new role as State Secretary for Armaments and Innovation. Boris Pistorius, the ministry's big boss, made the announcement official on a Wednesday buzzkill.
Plötner, a former foreign policy advisor to ex-Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), is all set to slide into his new role this summer. To lend a helping hand and beef up leadership, another State Secretary position will be created, with Jan Stöß, the current legal department head, manning the post.
Strengthening the Bundeswehr: Full Speed Ahead
Modernizing the Bundeswehr is the current government's top security policy project. With records already being smashed in terms of numbers and spending, the ministry's coffers will be brimming with cash for modernization, courtesy of a constitutional amendment that makes exemptions in military spending from the debt brake rules.
Plötner's duties as Armaments State Secretary are clear-cut: accelerating procurement, championing key European armaments projects, and embracing cutting-edge innovative technologies. With Plötner's global network in politics and industry, the ministry is dreaming big.
Plötner Takes the Reins from Zimmer
Plötner will take the reins from the outgoing Armaments State Secretary Benedikt Zimmer, who's been at the helm since 2017.
Stöß, a qualified lawyer and the current boss of the legal department, is the fresh face stepping in as the third State Secretary. The ministry's reason for creating the new position? The increased number of tasks and the time crunch to implement projects due to the changing security policy situation. From 2012 to 2016, Stöß ruled the roost as the chairman of the Berlin SPD.
- Jens Plötner: A diplomat and politician on a mission to revamp Germany's defense sector.
- Boris Pistorius: The ministry's boss, causing a stir with his latest appointment.
- Olaf Scholz: Ex-Chancellor, whose former advisor, Plötner, is about to make major waves in Germany's defense sector.
- Bundeswehr: Germany's military force.
- Federal Ministry of Defense: The ministry in charge of Germany's defense sector.
[1] Germany's Defense Budget: A Primer[2] Jens Plötner: A Rising Star in German Politics[3] Bundeswehr Modernization: The Road Ahead[4] Germany's Defense Expenditure: A Growing Commitment[5] NATO Defense Spending: Where Germany Stands
- Jens Plotner, formerly an advisor to Olaf Scholz, is preparing to transition from foreign policy to defense as he takes on the role of secretary of state for arms, policy-and-legislation, in Germany's Federal Ministry of Defense.
- Boris Pistorius, the current ministry head, announced Plotner's appointment, aiming to modernize and innovate the Bundeswehr, Germany's military force, in response to the changing security policy situation.
