Louisa Specht‑Riemenschneider has announced her resignation from the post of Federal Data Protection Commissioner for health reasons, but the federal government has yet to set a timetable for appointing a successor.
Deputy Government Spokesman Steffen Meyer acknowledged the news at the dts news agency on Wednesday. He said the government is grateful that Specht‑Riemenschneider will remain available until a new commissioner is chosen. Meyer expects that coalition partners will now discuss the matter and that, when the time is right, a strong candidate will be presented. He did not disclose which member of the government has the right to propose a candidate for the role.
Under the Federal Data Protection Act, the German Bundestag elects the Federal Commissioner with a simple majority of its members, based on a proposal from the federal government. The commissioner’s term is five years. Specht‑Riemenschneider has been in office only since September 2024.
