Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has confirmed several further personnel changes within his party and the cabinet amid ongoing internal organizational adjustments.
Following his party’s internal committee meetings on Monday, the CDU chairman announced that the current CDU treasurer, Franziska Hoppermann, will take over as the new General Secretary. She succeeds Carsten Linnemann, who is moving into the role of Federal Minister of Health. Merz noted that Hoppermann is deeply familiar with the party structure, stating, “She knows the house, she knows the CDU.” However, Merz cautioned that her new role “will not be entirely easy,” citing significant challenges facing the party-socially, politically within the government, and generally in politics.
In the second echelon of government, several adjustments are being made. Christiane Schenderlein (CDU), the current State Minister for Sport and Volunteering, will transition to the Federal Ministry of Health as a Parliamentary State Secretary, replacing Tino Sorge. While Merz did not initially confirm reports that former national soccer player Nadine Kessler would follow Schenderlein, the change is related to the Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, Gitta Connemann (CDU), who currently acts as the federal representative for small and medium-sized businesses, will become a Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs, succeeding Philipp Amthor. Amthor, meanwhile, is moving to the Chancellery as State Secretary for Federal-State Relations. Johannes Steiniger, a CDU Member of the Bundestag, will take over as the new federal representative for small and medium-sized businesses within the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWE).
Some of the changes at the ministerial level were announced in recent days. Nina Warken, the current Minister of Health, will take over as a Chancellery Minister, succeeding Thorsten Frei, who has been designated as the head of the Union parliamentary group. Steffen Bilger will also replace Patrick Schnieder as the Federal Minister of Transport.
