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The Minister of Defence
In his capacity as Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius is a member of the German government. Additionally, the Minister of Defence is the highest-ranking superior of all soldiers as well as the commander in chief of the armed forces in peacetime. He is the head of the Bundeswehr administration and thus also responsible for the entire civilian staff of the Bundeswehr and the ministry.
Superior of all soldiers and cabinet member
In his role as Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius exercises several important functions at the same time. Not only is he a member of the federal government's cabinet, he is also the highest‑ranking superior of all soldiers as well as the commander in chief of the armed forces in peacetime.
The minister can thus make decisions on all issues concerning the armed forces. This includes the deployment of combat units, the introduction of new weapon systems or the closure of garrisons. It is only upon the promulgation of a state of defence that the power of command over the armed forces passes to the Federal Chancellor.
Together with two Parliamentary State Secretaries and two Permanent State Secretaries, he is part of the Executive Group of the Federal Ministry of Defence.
The security environment is subject to constant change; the White Paper of the Bundeswehr takes this into account on a regular basis. The White Paper provides the minister with a framework for defence policy.
Picture gallery
Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius honours the two women who have won a rowing competition at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf
Together with NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visits the German-led Air Defender exercise, the largest air force deployment in NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization's history
Minister Pistorius visits the Bundeswehr Day 2023, a kind of Open Day, in Bückeburg
During his Indo-Pacific trip, Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius attends the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security conference in Singapore
During his official visit to the German army in Hammelburg, Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius is watching a light and medium forces presentation
Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius receives his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto who is making is first official visit to the German Ministry of Defence
Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius makes a statement for the media representatives on the occasion of his first official visit paid to the German air force in Rostock-Laage
Visit to German Navy: Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius aboard the frigate “Hessen”
Boris Pistorius pays his first official visit to the troops during a shooting and combat exercise on the Altengrabow military training area
The Federal Minister of Defence meets with witnesses to the Nazi dictatorship on the occasion of the #WeRemember campaign
Common statement with NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General at the Federal Ministry of Defence
On his way to the Franco-German Council of Ministers in order to participate in the ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty
On 19 January 2023, Federal Minister of Defence Pistorius gives a speech when appointing the Parliamentary State Secretaries Siemtje Möller and Thomas Hitschler at the Berlin Federal Ministry of Defence
On 19 January 2023, Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius welcomes U. S. Secretary of State Lloyd J. Austin as his first international guest at the Berlin Bendlerblock
The new Federal Minister of Defence Pistorius is welcomed with military honours at the Bendlerblock on the parade ground of the Federal Ministry of Defence
At Schloss Bellevue, the German President’s official residence, on 19 January 2023: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (l.) appoints Boris Pistorius Federal Minister of Defence
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