World
Germany: Merz Reshuffles Government and CDU Leadership After Spahn's Resignation
Jens Spahn's resignation as head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group triggered a cascade of government and party restructuring orchestrated by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Thorsten Frei, currently chief of the Federal Chancellery, succeeds Spahn as leader of the parliamentary group. Nina Warken takes over Frei's post at the chancellery, while Carsten Linnemann becomes Health Minister. Franziska Hoppermann now leads the CDU headquarters, and Philipp Amthor takes charge of federal-Länder coordination. Merz was scheduled to present the full package of appointments on July 24, 2026 in Berlin.