Merz names Steffen Bilger transport minister after botched dismissal of predecessor

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz named Steffen Bilger as Germany’s new transport minister on Monday, completing a cabinet reshuffle after the attempted dismissal of his predecessor became public before a replacement had been secured.

Bilger, 47, a member of Merz’s conservative CDU, is due to be formally appointed on Wednesday to replace Patrick Schnieder.

Merz announced the appointment at a press conference following a meeting of the party leadership.

Merz’s plan to dismiss Schnieder leaked last week. German media reported that a formal announcement was delayed after Merz’s original choice to replace him withdrew at the last minute.

Schnieder remained transport minister for several more days before asking on Sunday to be released from the position.

Merz apologised for the situation resulting from Schnieder’s botched dismissal and said he had “no problem” with him.

Schnieder had faced months of criticism over his effectiveness in improving Germany’s rail infrastructure.

Germany has loosened its traditional resistance to public borrowing to fund hundreds of billions of euros in additional defence and infrastructure spending.

Merz said he expected Bilger to demonstrate that the borrowing was justified by rapidly implementing transport projects involving railways, roads and wider infrastructure.

The reshuffle began after Jens Spahn resigned as chairman of the CDU parliamentary group amid controversy over his use of a surrogate mother to have a child.

Spahn and his husband had the child through a surrogate in the United States, although surrogacy is illegal in Germany and strongly opposed by the CDU.

Merz’s chief of staff, Thorsten Frei, will replace Spahn as parliamentary group chairman.

Health Minister Nina Warken will replace Frei as chief of staff, while CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann will become health minister.