The German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is undergoing a significant restructuring of its leadership, with several key appointments announced. According to reports in the Handelsblatt, Minister Katheine Reiche (CDU) is finalizing changes within her department, notably appointing a new head for the economic policy division, a role informally known as Chief Economist.
Benjamin Weigert, currently Head of the Central Division for Financial Stability at the Bundesbank (German Central Bank), has been selected for this prominent position. Previously, he served as Secretary General of the Council of Experts for Economic Analysis, a body advising the government on economic policy.
Weigert is slated to succeed Elga Bartsch, who was brought into the Ministry by the previous Minister, Robert Habeck (Greens). Formal procedural steps remain to be completed before Weigert’s transition to Berlin is finalized, but the fundamental arrangements are now in place.
Minister Reiche has indicated a desire to strengthen the role of the economic policy division. She previously stated her belief that the department possesses untapped potential and will again assert a confident and central role in shaping economic policy within the federal government.
Furthermore, the search for a spokesperson for the Minister is nearing resolution. Following an extended period of seeking external candidates, a decision favoring an internal appointment appears likely.