German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the cabinet reshuffle on Friday morning.
Carsten Linnemann, who until now served as general secretary of Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union, will replace Nina Warken as health minister.
Meanwhile, Warren will become the chancellor’s new chief of staff.
Also present at the press conference was Philipp Amthor, Merz’s new State Minister – the minister responsible for managing the federal government’s relations with Germany’s 16 states.
Amthor’s appointment was first reported by the business newspaper Handelsblatt.
Merz said he would announce further cabinet changes in the near future. “Those decisions will take a few more days, maybe longer,” he said.
german tabloid Picture reported separately That Fritz Guentzler will replace Patrick Schneider as transport minister, although Merz did not comment on this portfolio at his press conference on Friday morning.
Resignation signals reshuffle
Friday’s announcement comes after CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn resigned last weekend over a surprise controversy.
Spann had announced that he had become a parent with the help of a surrogate mother in the United States. She was accused of hypocrisy because surrogacy is banned in Germany and the CDU has repeatedly voted in support of this ban.
Merz appointed Thorsten Frey to fill the position on Wednesday, and used the opportunity to make further changes on Friday.
The chancellor’s popularity has fallen to record lows while Europe’s largest economy has suffered years of stagnation.
Many more to follow…
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