The Federal Ministry of Finance is undergoing a significant restructuring under the direction of Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD), introducing a novel department dedicated to international policy. Information obtained from internal correspondence and a forthcoming organizational chart, reported by Handelsblatt, reveals the creation of a “Coordination Staff for International Policy (KS).
This new staff is tasked with managing coordination efforts related to international affairs, previously handled through the deputy chancellorship. Its responsibilities include providing the ministry leadership with a comprehensive overview of international developments and consolidating responsibilities pertaining to security policy, economic security, crisis resilience and select European coordination matters.
The move underscores Minister Klingbeil’s desire to actively engage in foreign policy matters, particularly given the current government configuration where foreign policy, alongside the chancellery, is overseen by a coalition partner, a situation unprecedented in recent history. Christian Aulbach, formerly the deputy to Jens Plötner, chief foreign policy advisor to former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, will lead the newly established unit.
Further details released from the new organizational chart indicate that Klingbeil, mirroring a previous structure utilized by Scholz, will operate with a deputy chancellorship supported by three sub-departments. This includes the recruitment of Laura Krause, formerly of the NGO “More in Common” who will lead the “Modern Germany” sub-department, developing concepts aimed at strengthening trust in democratic institutions. The restructuring does not represent an overall increase in staff numbers; rather, roles have been transferred from the Economics Ministry, where the deputy chancellorship was previously based during the prior governing coalition.
