Previous SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel secures employment with Rheinmetall
Previous SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel secures employment with Rheinmetall
Ex- SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel prepares to enter Rheinmetall's oversight committee
Sigmar Gabriel, the previous chairman of the SPD's federal chapter, is planning to join the oversight committee of Germany's largest defense conglomerate, Rheinmetall. The corporation announced in Düsseldorf that the oversight committee has chosen Gabriel for the position. The anticipated annual meeting in May is expected to authorize this nomination, much like it approved the appointment of a former Deutsche Bahn technology chief, Sabina Jeschke, earlier.
"Joining Rheinmetall's oversight committee is my way of contributing to the active development of a robust and efficient defense industry in Germany and Europe," Gabriel stated. "Our children and grandchildren can only grow up in a peaceful Europe if attempts to utilize war as a political weapon fail."
To realize this goal, military strength is not the only, but an essential prerequisite. "The Bundeswehr must be restored as a defense and war-capable force, and NATO's European pillar must regain its deterrent capability," Gabriel declared. "This necessitates, among other things, a powerful national and European leader such as Rheinmetall."
The 65-year-old Gabriel boasts a lengthy political past, having served as Minister-President of Lower Saxony from 1999 to 2003. Rheinmetall runs its largest production site in the region. Gabriel left the Bundestag at the end of 2019. He has already gained experience in oversight committees, serving on the boards of Deutsche Bank and Siemens Energy since 2020. He stepped down from the Thyssenkrupp steel subsidiary's oversight committee last summer due to internal disagreements.
Rheinmetall is by far the largest German defense manufacturer, with over 30,000 employees based at its headquarters in Düsseldorf. The company is on a steady growth course, with its order books filled to capacity. Since the onset of the Ukraine war, Rheinmetall's stock price has nearly quintupled. The corporation manufactures tanks, military trucks, air defense weapons, artillery, drones, and ammunition.
Gabriel, acknowledging his role in the oversight committee, admitted, "I'm not goinging to lie, I'm joining this committee because I believe in the potential of Rheinmetall to strengthen Germany's and Europe's defense industry." Later in the discussions, he added, "It's crucial for us to maintain open and honest dialogue, even as we work towards our shared goal of a more secure Europe."