German President Appoints New Federal Ministers on Merz's Recommendation

Moscow (ANTARA) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has carried out appointments proposed to him by Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a recent government reshuffle, according to a statement from the German presidential office on Wednesday.

“The President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, handed over the letters of dismissal and appointment in accordance with the direction of the federal chancellor,” the presidential office said in a statement.

Nina Warken was dismissed from her post as health minister and appointed as minister for special affairs and head of the Federal Chancellery.

The appointment was made because the previous head of the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, was nominated to lead the ruling Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) bloc in parliament. An extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary group will vote on his candidacy today.

Former CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann was appointed as health minister. Former Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder was replaced by Steffen Bilger, who previously served as first parliamentary secretary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag.

During the ceremony, Steinmeier said the new ministers would be sworn in at the first parliamentary session in September.

On 24 July, Merz announced a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn in connection with a surrogacy scandal. The decision drew criticism from members of the CDU.

In addition, the newspaper Bild reported that CDU members of parliament in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate cancelled a meeting with Merz in protest at the dismissal of Schnieder.