CDU/CSU Elects New Parliamentary Group Chair

Members of the German CDU and CSU parties elected Thorsten Frei as the new chair of their joint parliamentary group in the Bundestag. The 52-year-old politician received 91.9% of the vote and succeeded Jens Spahn in the position.

Prior to the election, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier relieved Frei of his duties as minister for special tasks and head of the Federal Chancellery.

Spahn resigned a week and a half ago amid criticism over starting his family through surrogacy. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and CSU Chairman Markus Söder then nominated Frei as his successor and announced a wider cabinet reshuffle.

The current health minister, Nina Warken, will become head of the Federal Chancellery. The health ministry will be taken over by former CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann, and Steffen Bilger will become the new minister of transportation.

Prior to the vote, there was speculation that dissatisfaction within the CDU/CSU over the cabinet reshuffle would affect the election results, with the dismissal of Transportation Minister Patrick Schnieder drawing particular criticism. However, Frei received more support than Spahn did in his first election last year, when he received 91.3% of the vote.

Frei has been a member of the Bundestag since 2013 and is one of Chancellor Merz's closest associates.

(zeit, bak)