A senior figure within Germany’s Left party has voiced concerns regarding recent personnel changes at Deutsche Bahn, the national rail operator. Ines Schwerdtner, one of the party’s co-chairs, questioned the suitability of newly appointed executives, arguing that the organization’s persistent operational challenges stem from leadership lacking practical experience in the rail sector.
The comments follow the unveiling of proposed reforms for Deutsche Bahn by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder. The planned changes include the designation of Evelyn Palla as the new CEO, currently overseeing regional transport within the company and the appointment of Dirk Rompf to replace Philipp Nagl as head of Infrago. Rompf’s current roles include positions at the consultancy Cadmus and the market research firm Ifok.
While acknowledging the urgency of the proposed strategy to modernize the rail network, Schwerdtner also criticized Schnieder’s focus on improving the company’s economic efficiency. She argued against treating Deutsche Bahn as a profit-driven corporation, emphasizing the priorities of punctuality, reliability and affordability. Schwerdtner advocated for increased federal funding to ensure these goals are met, asserting that rail transport constitutes an essential public service. She further called for a restructuring of Deutsche Bahn into what she described as a “modern citizen’s railway”.
