Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reshuffled his cabinet following Jens Spahn's resignation as head of the conservative parliamentary group, appointing Nina Warken as health minister, Steffen Bilger as transport minister, and Thorsten Frei as chancellery chief of staff. Carsten Linnemann and Franziska Hoppermann were promoted to lead the CDU as co-general secretaries. Merz, who plans no further personnel changes, faced internal party friction over the dismissal of Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder. CSU leader Markus Söder suggested Spahn could return to a leadership role.
Spahn had stepped down after facing criticism over a surrogacy arrangement in the United States. The Bundestag will swear in new cabinet members in September.
Meanwhile, electoral committees in Lower Saxony barred at least four Alternative for Germany candidates from contesting top municipal offices in the 13 September local elections, including AfD deputy state leader Stephan Bothe, who was rejected by the Lüneburg district committee in a 6-to-1 vote. The state's AfD branch is classified as confirmed far-right extremist by domestic intelligence. Several other AfD candidates were admitted, and the party announced legal action over the exclusions.