Fresh Take: A New Face in the Ministry of Defense - Pistorius's Third State Secretary
Defense Minister Pistorius Secures New State Secretary Role
In a move to restructure his administration, Defense Minister Pistorius, as agreed with Chancellor Merz who recently called for a hiring freeze, welcomes a third State Secretary - Jan Stoess. The Ministry of Defense's new face officially takes the helm, with Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil on board.
Previously, Jens Plötner, who has served as a foreign policy advisor to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, steps into the role of State Secretary for Armaments and Innovation within the Ministry of Defense. This notable shift sees the replacement of the prior State Secretary Benedikt Zimmer, with Plötner, aged 57, now accelerating procurement and driving forward key European armaments projects.
Upon his appointment as a head of the legal and organizational department within the ministry, Jan Stoess, age 51, brings a wealth of experience to the table. Notably, he held the position of chairman of the Berlin SPD from 2012-2016, eventually succeeded by the later governing mayor, Michael Müller. Since March 2022, Stoess has been part of the defense department, with his new role justified by the changed security policy situation leading to increased tasks and time pressure.
Whilst Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU had previously pledged to impose a hiring freeze on the public sector and federal ministries, his recent appointment seems to have triggered a change in perspective. With an unprecedented number of top positions in the reunified Germany, this move adds another ministry compared to the traffic light government.
Last fall, Merz had stated that the public sector had grown too large, but it appears as though he has reconsidered his stance under his potential tenure as Chancellor.
Sources: ntv.de, gho/dpa
Ministerial roles and responsibilities:
- New State Secretary - Jan Stoess
- State Secretary for Armaments and Innovation - Jens Plötner
- Defense Minister - Boris Pistorius
- Chancellor - Friedrich Merz
Enrichment Data:
For more insight, here's some background on the roles of State Secretaries in government ministries: State Secretaries typically supervise specific policy areas, manage departmental operations, and collaborate with other government bodies. However, given the limited information, it's challenging to ascertain January Stoess's precise duties.
On the other hand, Jens Plötner's role as State Secretary for Armaments and Innovation may involve tasks such as overseeing procurement, driving forward armaments projects, and working on cutting-edge military technology. These responsibilities help to modernize and strengthen the armed forces in the wake of changing geopolitical conditions.
- The Ministry of Defense's new State Secretary, Jan Stoess, aged 51, takes charge of a legal and organizational department within the ministry, bringing years of experience from his tenure as chairman of the Berlin SPD from 2012-2016.
- Jens Plötner, the former foreign policy advisor to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, steps into the role of State Secretary for Armaments and Innovation within the Ministry of Defense, responsible for accelerating procurement and driving forward key European armaments projects.
