German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announces cabinet overhaul

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a major reshuffle of his cabinet on Friday ahead of a series of key regional elections. The move comes as Merz attempts to inject new life into his increasingly unpopular government, which has so far struggled to fulfill its pledges to ignite the economy. Opinion polls in Germany have showed declining support for Merz and growing backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, as eyes turn to upcoming state elections in Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The reshuffle

Carsten Linnemann, who had been serving as the general secretary of Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is set to take over from Nina Warken as health minister while Warken is to succeed Thorsten Frei as head of the chancellery. Frei had already been appointed as the next leader of the Union’s parliamentary group following the resignation of Jens Spahn last week following a surrogacy scandal. Spahn and his husband had announced that they had become parents through a surrogate mother in the United States, sparking controversy as surrogacy is banned in Germany and is something the CDU has continued to oppose. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder is also reportedly set to leave office, as first reported by Germany's Bild newspaper. Bundestag member Fritz Güntzler is reportedly being considered as his successor. At the weekend, Merz hinted in an interview that Spahn's resignation could provide an opportunity for a cabinet reshuffle. Merz is expected to present further details on the reshuffle tomorrow. More changes to personnel are also expected.