TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On Monday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) was finally able to announce the name of the new Federal Minister of Transport in Berlin, following a weekend of speculation and debate. Steffen Bilger (CDU), aged 47 — who previously served as a state secretary in the transport ministry from 2018 to 2021 — is stepping up to lead the ministry.
The Chancellor had criticized the outgoing Transport Minister, Patrick Schnieder (CDU), for doing too little to address the chronic chaos and frequent delays plaguing the Deutsche Bahn railway system. Merz also faulted him for initiating too few projects to improve Germany's ailing infrastructure.
On Monday, Merz said he expected the new minister to ensure that "we become faster and better at driving a new era of progress in Germany."
Bilger's appointment marks the latest step in a cabinet reshuffle of the conservative wing of the government. This chain reaction of personnel changes was triggered by the resignation of Jens Spahn — the powerful leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag — who was forced to step down following allegations of hypocrisy over his decision to have a child via surrogacy in the United States, circumventing German law and in violation of his party's principles.
Thorsten Frei: a Merz confidant
Thorsten Frei, previously the head of the chancellery, is now set to become the new leader of the conservative parliamentary group on Wednesday, which involves the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). The 208 CDU and CSU lawmakers must cut their summer holidays short to vote on this appointment.
The 52-year-old Frei, currently serving as head of the chancellery and considered a close confidant of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is now set to take over one of the most important positions in German politics. His task will be to explain his party's positions in speeches in the Bundestag and interviews with the media. Above all, he will have to secure majorities for the government's policies and negotiate with the conservatives' coalition partner, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Nina Warken: a woman in a key position
Merz has a reputation for trusting only men within his inner circle. Now, 47-year-old Nina Warken — a politician from the wealthy southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg — is taking over from Frei and will manage the chancellery and be responsible for aligning the government's overall policy agenda.
Warken is a member of the women's organization of the Christian Democratic Union. As health minister, she had recently pushed through a cost-cutting program for statutory health insurance funds.
The chancellor considers Warken to be assertive and well-versed in security policy issues — an important quality, given that the head of the chancellery also coordinates oversight of Germany's intelligence agencies.
Carsten Linnemann: a health minister with a business focus
With Warken now leaving the health portfolio, Carsten Linnemann — previously the CDU general secretary — is set to take over.
Pundits argue that the chancellor certainly has a clear vision of how Linnemann should lead the department. Until now, Linnemann has been known primarily as an economics expert — a background that Friedrich Merz believes will serve him well in the new role: "Carsten Linnemann is taking over a ministry that represents the fastest-growing sector of our economy. The entire sector — which, unfortunately, we all too often view merely as a cost factor — is a vital part of our social fabric."
CDU politicians fear for September election prospects
Approval of the government's performance is at an all-time low. State elections are scheduled for September in three eastern states where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to see significant gains.
It is against this backdrop that Merz is demonstrating decisiveness.
"I assume that things will have calmed down somewhat by September," Merz said.
Sven Schulze (CDU), a minister in the Saxony-Anhalt state government, takes a very different view. Speaking to public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Monday, Schulze said the past few days had dominated political discussions and "not exactly gone well."
He added that it was almost impossible to focus on state-level issues during door-to-door campaigning in his state.
Read: Merz: Germany Agreed to Buy Tomahawk Missiles at NATO Summit
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