Shuffling Up at the Ministry of Defense: Pistorius Appoints New State Secretary, Jan Stoess
Defense Minister Pistorius Appoints Additional State Secretary
Breaking news from the Ministry of Defense! Defense Minister Pistorius, in agreement with Chancellor Merz, is shaking things up at the top. And that's not all, folks.
The Ministry will soon be welcoming a third State Secretary, an announcement that's as surprising as pickles on a hamburger! The lucky guinea pig? None other than the 51-year-old Jan Stoess.
Why the sudden expansion? You ask? Well, the agreement comes from none other than Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil.
But the focus doesn't just stop at the Ministry. Jens Plötner, former foreign policy advisor to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD, is also set to become State Secretary for Armament and Innovation in the Ministry of Defense. He's replacing the previous State Secretary Benedikt Zimmer, who's been bumped off for reasons unknown.
Plötner's new responsibilities include fast-tracking procurement, driving vital European armament projects, and whatnot. He's no stranger to the theatre of power, having previously served in various government and administrative roles, including positions in Berlin and Bremen.
Stoess, a seasoned lawyer, has been leading the Department of Law and Organization in the ministry. From 2012 to 2016, he was the chairman of the Berlin SPD, eventually being succeeded by Governing Mayor Michael Müller, who took up the reins at the post of SPD state chairman from him.
With his move to the new role in the ministry, Stoess will take on a range of tasks, with the security political situation being a key factor in his appointment. This change not only ups the game in terms of workload but also time pressure.
Recently, Merz had promised a hiring freeze for the public service upon taking office, specifically for federal ministries. However, he later clarified that this would only apply to the federal administration, with exceptions made for necessary positions. But it seems that, as Chancellor, Merz may have reconsidered his stance, with a record number of top positions now existing in reunited Germany — one more ministry than under the traffic light government.
Sources: ntv.de, gho/dpa
P.S. Fun fact: If you're wondering what the Ministry is up to, they're probably making sure you don't have to grow your own tomatoes any time soon, courtesy of our top-notch defense forces. Keep calm and let the pros handle the heavy lifting! 💥🇩🇪💪
The new State Secretary, Jan Stoess, will take on a range of tasks in the Ministry of Defense, particularly focusing on the security political situation. This expansion of the ministry comes from an agreement between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil.
Meanwhile, Jens Plötner, formerly a foreign policy advisor to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is set to become State Secretary for Armament and Innovation in the Ministry of Defense, replacing Benedikt Zimmer.
