Who will follow short-term family minister Anne Spiegel after her resignation? The rumor mill is running hot in the capital. Many tasks await the successor.
Around 900 employees, an office in the heart of Berlin and a monthly salary of almost 17,000 euros – the Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth is looking for a new boss after Anne Spiegel (Greens) resigned.
That it will be a woman again is considered certain. There has not been a man at the head of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs since 1985. In addition, according to the traffic light internal logic, a woman must again be at the head of the house for the resigned Anne Spiegel. Because Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz would like to fill his cabinet equally, which he (ignoring himself) succeeded in forming a government. A man will therefore not take over the family department without a major personnel shift. And Olaf Scholz is certainly not interested in such a thing at the moment. Green politician Anton Hofreiter falls out as a mirror successor.
Who follows Anne Spiegel?
The Greens want to get the issue off the table quickly. Federal President Ricarda Lang considers a decision on the Spiegel successor to be likely this week. “I don’t think we’ll be dealing with this question beyond Easter,” she said in an interview with the television channel ntv. Lang also indicated that a woman would again take over the post in the Ministry of Family Affairs. At that time, the party said that the posts would be filled equally. “Of course we will stick to this principle,” she said. The most important requirement is that the person takes responsibility for families, children and the open society. “Above all, the person must have one quality: that is to be suitable for this office.”
But something else is important for the Greens. Traditionally, the offices should be divided fairly between the so-called realos and the fundis, even if the boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. However, since Economics Minister and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock already have three members of the cabinet who can be assigned to the Realo wing, the party would have to send someone from the left wing into the race – if a suitable candidate can be found there.
The rumor mill in Berlin is churning and there are a number of names being traded in the capital’s press. An overview of some of Anne Spiegel’s possible successors:
- Catherine Droge: According to the “Bild” newspaper, the leader of the Greens parliamentary group in the German Bundestag is particularly popular. Because: It is attributed to the left wing of the party. But does the 37-year-old also want to go to the Ministry of Family Affairs? Not clear. A few days ago, when Spiegel’s resignation was already in the room, she still refused, according to information from the newspaper.
- Katrin Goering-Eckardt: The 55-year-old Vice President of the Bundestag is familiar with family and youth policy. She is also at home in the area of voluntary work, which is the responsibility of the Ministry for Family Affairs. She is also an experienced politician – that would be a plus. Her disadvantage: she is attributed to the Realo wing.
- Catherine Fegebank: She has been second mayor of Hamburg and science senator since 2015, so she has government experience. But family policy has not been one of the 45-year-old’s hobbies so far. In addition, she seems to feel comfortable in her position in the Hanseatic city. It is uncertain whether a move to Berlin is an option for the Realo representative.
- Ursula Nonnemacher: The enterprising Social Affairs Minister Ursula Nonnemacher from Brandenburg, who brings the “Frankfurter Rundschau” into play, also has government experience. The 64-year-old was also involved in family policy there and, for example, initiated the first parity law for a state election in Germany (which has since been overturned by a court).
- Britta Hasselmann: She shares the chair of the parliamentary group in the Bundestag with Katharina Dröge and is named by “Focus” as a possible Spiegel successor. The 60-year-old is considered experienced – but also as a Realo representative.
- Ekin Deligöz: The “Augsburger Allgemeine” speculates that the parliamentary state secretary under Anne Spiegel could move up to the head of the ministry. The Vice President of the Child Protection Association would have expertise. However, the 50-year-old from Neu-Ulmer is also considered a real politician.
- Ricarda Lang: Or does the party leader do it herself? The 28-year-old is assigned to the left wing of the party and at the age of 28 would stand for a real change of generations – however, she has no government experience whatsoever. And family policy has not been one of Lang’s political priorities so far. Your possible move to the family ministry would mean that the Greens would have to restructure their party leadership.
Whoever it is, many tasks await in the Ministry of Family Affairs. Among other things, Anne Spiegel had taken up the cause of strengthening women’s rights and ensuring a better work-life balance. Other central projects of the house include the introduction of basic child security, the modernization of family law and stronger protection against violence against women.
For the time being, however, Anne Spiegel will remain in office, as a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs announced at the request of the DPA news agency. “Federal Minister Spiegel will continue to conduct official business until she receives the certificate of dismissal.” The Federal President is responsible for the official appointment and dismissal of ministers, and he presents the relevant documents at Bellevue Palace. It is therefore quite possible that Spiegel will personally hand over her office in the heart of Berlin to her successor.
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs is in turbulent times – not for the first time. In the podcast “ÜberMerkel – Familiar Stories” the former ministers Gerda Hasselfeldt and Hannelore Rönsch report how they had to share the house with Angela Merkel in the early 1990s – and what major challenges the three politicians faced in the “Three Girls’ House” and in dealing with them male colleagues were standing.
Sources: , , , , , DPA news agency
Source: Stern
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