BERLIN — Germany’s incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday released his first batch of Cabinet picks, highlighting clear themes: experience, party loyalty and business-minded leadership.
At the Foreign Ministry, Johann Wadephul, a seasoned defense and foreign policy expert, is set to lead Germany’s diplomatic efforts at a time of rising global tensions. In a major economic move, Katherina Reiche — a former energy executive and ex-lawmaker — will head the Ministry for Economy and Energy, overseeing Germany’s reindustrialization plans.
Patrick Schnieder, a veteran transport policymaker, takes over the Ministry of Transport, while Karin Prien, who previously led education policy in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, will run the Ministry for Education. Nina Warken, a Bundestag legal specialist, is tapped to lead the Health Ministry.
Merz has also created a new Ministry for Digitalization, choosing physicist and tech executive Karsten Wildberger to push overdue digital reforms in government.
Cultural and media affairs will be steered by Wolfram Weimer, a well-known journalist and publisher. Christiane Schenderlein, a Bundestag member with experience in cultural policy, becomes state minister for sport and volunteer engagement.
On European affairs, Merz appointed strong voices from his conservative Christian Democratic Union: Serap Güler joins the Foreign Ministry as state minister for international cooperation, while Gunther Krichbaum, a veteran on EU policy, takes the role of state minister for European affairs.
Finally, Thorsten Frei — a key Merz ally and former CDU/CSU parliamentary manager — will become head of the Chancellery, a powerful role akin to a chief of staff. Frei will be responsible for coordinating government operations and ensuring Cabinet discipline, a critical post as Merz seeks to push through his ambitious domestic and security agenda
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