CDU: Minister of Health Warken New Boss of the Women’s Union

Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken is the new chair of the CDU women’s union. The 46-year-old succeeds Annette Widmann-Mauz, who had no longer competed in office after ten years.

Warken prevailed in a martial candidate with 62.1 percent of the votes against Ina Scharrenbach, which came to 37.4 percent in a martial candidacy in a martial candidacy in Reutlingen. The 48-year-old Scharrenbach is North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Home, Local, Construction and Digitization. In her inaugural speech, Warken called for more female perspectives in politics.

The extent to which she can keep her post as state general secretary in Baden-Württemberg is unclear. A general secretary is actually considered the top campaign manager. It is difficult to imagine that Warken organizes the state election campaign 2026 in Baden-Württemberg and is also a Federal Minister of Health.

Lack of women in CDU management positions complained

Previously, Widmann-Mauz (58) and Federal Minister of Family Affairs Karin Prien (59) complained about a lack of female leaders in the CDU. “The positions associated with the enforcement of power are still almost exclusively occupied by men in the CDU, in party and functions,” said Prien. In the future, the positions should be equally occupied. The women would have to raise their voices a little louder.

From Widmann-Mauz ‘point of view, on the way to actual equality, you have come quite far. The proportion of women is 44 percent in the party presidium, party executive and in the federal cabinet – “that can be seen and we are happy and are proud of each of our ministers”. However, similar to the Bundestag election result, the Union in other areas remains under its possibilities and necessities.

Only 4 out of 20 members on the executive group board are women. And 4 female working group chairwoman of a total of 23 do not begin to meet equal participation. “If the coalition committee is to be the heart and brain of the federal government, it still lacks crucial: women,” said Widmann-Mauz, who was no longer competing for the new Bundestag. There is no lack of qualified women in the faction.

“No Groopie’s male political stars”

The Women’s Union reorganized communication and massively expanded campaign ability on social media. She also brought in with important topics, such as violence against women. “The Women’s Union is not a cheerleading group in the political Bundesliga, and our women are not groopie of male political stars,” said Widmann-Mauz.

Ten men and eight women sit in the cabinet of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The most important ministries – finance, internal, defense and foreign – are occupied by men. The coalition committee-the second central decision-making body of black and red-belongs to ten men and one woman. In the closest management area around Merz in the Chancellery, even men are even men. The same applies to the four top posts in the coalition groups, i.e. the chairpersons and the first parliamentary managing directors.

The Women’s Union has around 95,000 members, the chair is automatically sitting on the CDU federal executive board.