Germany's Merz could announce cabinet reshuffle on Friday, sources say

BERLIN, July 23 (Reuters) - ‌German Chancellor Friedrich ​Merz ​could announce a cabinet reshuffle on Friday, triggered by the abrupt exit of party heavyweight ‌Jens Spahn in a row over a surrogacy ⁠baby, three people told Reuters on Thursday.

Health Minister Nina Warken is ‌likely to take over ‌as head of Merz's chancellery, while her predecessor in that role - Thorsten Frei - would succeed Spahn as head ​of the CDU/CSU faction in parliament, the sources said.

Frei, a longtime Merz confidant, has been responsible for ⁠coordinating government business from the chancellery, a role that has drawn scrutiny during ​the coalition's rocky first year.

Carsten Linnemann, currently secretary general of Merz's CDU, could replace Warken ​as health minister, the sources ‌said, confirming a report by mass-circulation newspaper Bild.

Merz could announce the changes on Friday, although ⁠discussions about the posts were still ongoing on Thursday evening.

"It's not a done deal yet," one of the sources said.

Spahn ⁠resigned on Saturday after having a baby born to a surrogate ​mother in the United States, a move at odds with his own party's opposition to surrogacy. Spahn had at one time ‌been seen as a potential challenger to Merz.

Separately, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported that CDU lawmaker ‌Philipp Amthor could also move to the chancellery as ⁠minister of state for ‌the federal government's ​relations with the country's 16 states.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Friederike Heine; Editing by Kirsten ‌Donovan)

---

Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

---

You May Also Be Interested In

• Morning Bid: Bond investors in revolt as Iran threatens to go 'fully offensive'
• Bond yields jump, oil extends gains as US-Iran ceasefire expires
• Australia's EQT Holdings gets $468 million takeover proposal from TPG Global