BERLIN — Germany’s incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday released his first batch of Cabinet picks, highlighting clear themes: experience, party loyalty and business-minded leadership.
At the Foreign Ministry, Johann Wadephul, a seasoned defense and foreign policy expert, is set to lead Germany’s diplomatic efforts at a time of rising global tensions. In a major economic move, Katherina Reiche — a former energy executive and ex-lawmaker — will head the Ministry for Economy and Energy, overseeing Germany’s reindustrialization plans.
Patrick Schnieder, a veteran transport policymaker, takes over the Ministry of Transport, while Karin Prien, who previously led education policy in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, will run the Ministry for Education. Nina Warken, a Bundestag legal specialist, is tapped to lead the Health Ministry.
