The newly appointed State Minister for Volunteer Work and Sport, Ronald “Ronny” Rauhe, intends to vigorously advance Germany’s bid for Olympic Games. Speaking at the Chancellery on Thursday, he stated, “We want to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to Germany,” promising that he would push this application forward with complete dedication. Rauhe views this bid as the cornerstone for what he calls a “generation Olympia”-a generation of children who will have role models, feel confident, and most importantly, be allowed to dream big again.
The new minister added that Germany should once again become one of the world’s most successful sports nations. To achieve this, the elite sports reform will be “consistently advanced,” as he emphasized that athletes require proper conditions to reach peak performance.
Meanwhile, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) commented that his appointment of a former athlete signals the government’s commitment to recognizing German sport as a vital area of focus, expressing confidence in Rauhe’s suitability for the role.
The State Minister position had been vacant since the previous incumbent, Christiane Schenderlein (CDU), was unexpectedly dismissed and subsequently moved to a position as Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health. Although Rauhe’s ascension to the post was hinted at last week, information from the dts news agency detailed that the decisive meeting between Merz and the two-time Olympic canoe champion took place last Wednesday following the cabinet meeting in Neuhardenberg.
