German defence crisis puts potential Merkel successor in hot seat


  • World
  • Wednesday, 01 Oct 2014

BERLIN (Reuters) - Ursula von der Leyen, whose ambitions of succeeding Angela Merkel are too transparent for German taste, is finding out the hard way why her job as defence minister is considered the most dangerous in the cabinet, nicknamed the 'ejector seat'.

News that Germany's military hardware is in such a state of disrepair that it is struggling to meet NATO commitments or keep a promise to arm Iraqi Kurds against Islamic State has put the minister in the firing line.

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