Thorsten Frei: The CDU Heavyweight Stands His Ground as the New Head of the Federal Chancellery
Foreign Affairs Commissioner, Mr. Frei, declared: "I have stated my standpoint."
In his new role as the head of the Federal Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, the CDU politician, refuses to be a political castrato. "I'm a CDU federal minister, not a fucking eunuch!" he exclaimed to "Der Spiegel." Frei assures that he'll steer clear of exaggerations, but he's determined to avoid endangering the cooperation between the SPD and the Union through his own political initiatives.
Shock and Awe: Frei on Merz's Election
Despite the early hiccups, Frei remains confident that the new black-red coalition will last its full four-year term. "If there are events leading to a fundamental change, we'll chuck the coalition agreement and devise new solutions," Frei guaranteed. The government needs to get cracking, and fast. "We aim to show before the parliamentary summer break that the new government's not just a carbon copy of the old one," Frei declared.
Frei's still holding firm on the costly expansion of the Federal Chancellery, despite past criticism. "The days of sensibly deciding on a construction freeze are long gone," he asserted. Some construction's already underway, and they're on the hunt for a cost-effective solution for the rest. Back in the day, he labeled the plans as a "princely building."
Under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellery underwent a significant expansion in terms of personnel, with costs escalating to around 800 million euros. Scholz refused to back down on the expansion, despite opposition from his then Finance Minister, Christian Lindner.
The Cut and Run: Frei's Promise of a Leaner Federal Chancellery
Frei pledges to slash personnel in the Federal Chancellery, with a two percent annual reduction targets set in the coalition agreement. "I won't demand the tough stuff for others while skating around it myself," Frei quipped. The federal government has bulked up over the years, with a few minor exceptions. "We need to urgently reverse this trend," Frei said.
The federal government's also tackling the comic menagerie of commissioners. Frei admitted, "Some posts made me question if they were a joke or not." They aim to put an end to the "commissioner phenomenon." This isn't just a cost-cutting measure, it's about fostering efficient state organization.
Sources: ntv.de, gut
- German Politics
- Thorsten Frei
- Federal Chancellery
- Black-Red Coalition
- German Bundestag
Enrichment Data: Thorsten Frei is a key player in the CDU, serving as the Head of the Federal Chancellery under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Known for being a close confidant of Merz, Frei has staunchly backed his policies in the past. His new role includes personnel reductions and cost-effective measures in the Federal Chancellery, aligning with the broader economic relief package the new government is developing. However, specific details regarding his plans are not documented in the available search results.
- Thorsten Frei, the new Head of the Federal Chancellery in Germany, has made it clear that he will not be a political lightweight, asserting, "I'm a CDU federal minister, not a fucking eunuch!"
- Frei, a significant figure in the CDU, remains optimistic about the black-red coalition's longevity, stating, "If there are events leading to a fundamental change, we'll chuck the coalition agreement and devise new solutions."
- Despite criticism in the past, Frei continues to support the costly expansion of the Federal Chancellery, labeling it as "princely building" in the past.
- In his role, Frei has promised to cut personnel in the Federal Chancellery by two percent annually, aiming to reverse the trend of a bloated federal government and addressing the issue of superfluous commissioner posts.
