Germany, today Spahn’s successor to be appointed, after the reshuffle the oath from Steinmeier

(Adnkronos) – The German government is preparing to complete a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, triggered by the resignation of conservative parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn. Members of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc will meet in an extraordinary session to elect Thorsten Frei, currently head of the Federal Chancellery, as Spahn’s successor. Frei’s appointment has triggered a series of shifts that have resulted in a major government reshuffle. Health Minister Nina Warken will succeed Frei as head of the Chancellery. Carsten Linnemann, general secretary of the Christian Democrats (Cdu), will replace Warken as Health Minister. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder will also leave the government and be replaced by Christian Democratic MP Steffen Bilger. After the extraordinary session, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will formally appoint the new government members, who will then assume their respective functions. According to the German Constitution, the new ministers must also take an oath before the lower house of Parliament, the Bundestag. However, since the Bundestag is currently on summer recess, the oath is expected to take place upon the return of the parliamentarians, currently scheduled for the first sitting week after the break, probably September 9. The reshuffle was determined by Spahn’s resignation in mid-July, who had revealed that he and his husband, Daniel Funke, had become parents via surrogacy in the United States. Surrogacy is prohibited in Germany, and the CDU, as well as Spahn, has always opposed its legalization. Faced with strong criticism, including from within the conservative alliance, Spahn resigned.