The new Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) brings another spokesman into the house: ARD journalist Michael Stempfle will become Head of Information Work, the ministry announced on Monday in Berlin. Stempfle replaces the former ARD journalist Christian Thiels, who worked as spokesman for both Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) and her predecessor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU).
Just a few days before, Stempfle wrote an analysis for the “Tagesschau”. In it he praised Pistorius as a “full-blooded politician who gets down to business”, “with a keen sense for issues and for pragmatic solutions.”
After Stempfle’s move to the Ministry of Defense, which became known, questions are now being raised. Was Stempfle already given the offer to become Pistorius’ spokesman at the time of publication? Did the ARD know about it? Questions that FOCUS online also asked the broadcaster and the ministry on Monday evening. An answer is still pending.
The CDU also has questions. Matthias Hauer, member of the Bundestag for the CDU, wrote in a tweet: “Recently Boris Pistorius was enthusiastically applauded and Michael Stempfle will soon be his spokesman in the Federal Ministry of Defence. Surely Stempfle will explain to us whether the job offer from the BMVg was already available at the time of the comment!?
