New cabinet: Merz relies on competence instead of proportional representation

Even before the official start of the small party conference in Berlin this Monday, the CDU leadership sent out the list of future cabinet ministers. This made what was discussed there merely a side issue.

The list reveals a lot about the political understanding of the CDU party leader and presumably next German Chancellor Friedrich Merz – it differs significantly from that of the last CDU Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Seven ministries go to the CDU, three to the CSU, and another seven are allocated to the Social Democrats. Regarding the CDU positions, it is noticeable that Merz places less emphasis on regional representation and gender parity than has been the norm in recent years. Instead, he is relying on some unknown names who bring considerable experience in the private sector, as well as on state politicians with many years of experience.

Katharina Reiche and Karsten Wildberger are examples of the unknowns with extensive professional experience. Reiche will take over the gutted Ministry of Economic Affairs from Green Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck. Wildberger will become the first Federal Minister for Digitalization and State Modernization.

Reiche has already served in the Bundestag, but has been CEO of the energy group Westenergie, Germany's largest energy service provider, since 2019. She is leaving her position to take up the ministerial post. She is valued in CDU/CSU circles for her economic expertise. She is considered an experienced manager and thus appears to be a counterpoint to the Green Party politician Robert Habeck, who, as Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, represented the interests of the Green climate lobby.

This was particularly evident in the election of his State Secretary, Patrick Graichen, who vigorously pushed forward Germany's energy transition and did not shy away from interfering with citizens' boiler rooms. The Heating Act caused Minister Habeck a noticeable drop in voter support at the time.

Reiche is unlikely to fundamentally question the energy transition, let alone reverse it. Too many financial interests are now tied to the further expansion of wind and solar energy for a radical turnaround to be possible without significant resistance from the energy industry. Reiche could, however, push for a more socially acceptable energy transition in the future.

The new Minister for Digitalization, 56-year-old Karsten Wildberger, was previously Managing Director of Ceconomy AG, where he successfully oversaw the restructuring of the electronics retail chains Mediamarkt and Saturn. Even within his parliamentary group, many people were unfamiliar with his name. In his new position, Wildberger faces a major challenge: Germany lags far behind internationally in terms of digitalization. In an EU comparison, Germany ranks only 19th out of 27 countries in terms of the digitalization of public administration.

The fact that Merz is bringing a political newcomer into the cabinet for this task shows his willingness to initiate profound changes in this field.

Further evidence of Merz's abandonment of strict proportional representation is the fact that the small federal state of Schleswig-Holstein is virtually overrepresented with two future ministers – both the future Minister of Education Karin Prien and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul come from the state.

It is also striking that the powerful North Rhine-Westphalia regional association will not be represented in the cabinet. Although Carsten Linnemann, who hails from North Rhine-Westphalia, would have had first access to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, he decided to remain CDU General Secretary.

In addition to the economy, Merz is placing a second focus on migration policy. To achieve the goal of significantly curbing illegal migration to Germany, he is relying on experienced staff with a clearly conservative profile. The Foreign and Interior Ministries will remain in the hands of the CDU/CSU. This will allow the Interior and Foreign Ministries to work together in the future to significantly curb the number of migrants.

Alexander Dobrindt, the current CSU regional group leader, will become Interior Minister. CDU interior politician Christoph de Vries, a staunch critic of unregulated migration, will also take over as Parliamentary State Secretary in the Interior Ministry. This lineup is complemented by the new head of the Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, who proposed two years ago replacing the individual right to asylum with an annual refugee quota.

All this shows that Merz is obviously serious about a noticeable change in migration policy.

During the refugee crisis a few years ago, the power struggle between then-CDU Chancellor Merkel and CSU Interior Minister Horst Seehofer brought the CDU/CSU to the brink of a split. This is not to be feared in the Merz cabinet, as the chosen members all share the future chancellor's course and are pushing for a change in current policies.

The distinction from the former Chancellor arises primarily from the party-tactical courage Merz demonstrates outside of the cabinet. Former CDU Chancellor Merkel was accustomed to including party colleagues who could have been dangerous to her in her cabinet, thus controlling them. One example of this was Jens Spahn, whom she appointed Minister of Health early on. Merz is now taking the opposite approach with Spahn, awarding him the powerful position of parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag. In doing so, he is giving his party breathing room in the parliamentary debate, but possibly also creating an intra-party rival for himself.

In foreign policy, Merz is making a clear break with the Green Party's Foreign Ministry and returning to the German tradition of diplomacy guided by values ​​and interests. The contrast between Wadephul and Annalena Baerbock could hardly be greater: Wadephul hasn't been noted for moralizing so far; his statements are significantly more sober than those of his predecessor.

He is considered an experienced transatlanticist and values ​​military support for Ukraine. He could act as a mediator in a dispute with the United States.