A significant reshuffle within German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet and parliamentary group is under consideration, according to reports in “Der Spiegel”, signaling potential power struggles and strategic repositioning within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The reported focus of these deliberations centers on the current parliamentary group leader, Jens Spahn, with sources close to the Chancellor suggesting a longstanding deterioration in their working relationship.
The situation is complicated by what officials describe as Spahn’s capacity for fostering internal dissent and undermining party cohesion – a “destruktionspotenzial” that Chancellor Merz is reportedly attempting to manage delicately. While a face-saving solution is the objective, the possibility of Spahn succeeding the beleaguered Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner has been explored, however briefly. This option appears unlikely, with Wegner demonstrating no inclination to relinquish his position and Spahn seemingly holding little interest in the role.
The most plausible and politically expedient, course of action outlined in internal discussions involves appointing Spahn to a ministerial position, effectively bringing him under the direct control of the cabinet and bolstering party discipline. This maneuver could see him replace Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, who has reportedly fallen out of favor with the Chancellor following a public disagreement during a parliamentary group meeting in late September. Such a move would be interpreted as a demonstration of authority and a signal to those within the CDU who challenge the Chancellor’s leadership.
Should Spahn ascend to a ministerial role, the current Minister for the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, is tentatively earmarked to replace him as parliamentary group leader. Günter Krings, the head of the North Rhine-Westphalia state group within the parliamentary group, is viewed as the frontrunner for Frei’s position. Krings had previously been considered for the leadership of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a prominent CDU think tank, but lost out in a secret ballot to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.
Chancellor Merz is reportedly adopting a cautious approach, intending to postpone any concrete action until after the upcoming state elections in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. A disappointing outcome for the CDU in those elections could precipitate the planned personnel changes as early as May, coinciding with the re-election of the parliamentary group leader. The timing suggests a calculated effort to consolidate power and potentially preempt internal challenges before they escalate. The unfolding situation highlights the ongoing tensions within the CDU and raises questions about the Chancellor’s ability to maintain unity and control as he navigates a challenging political landscape.