Honest Broker, No Political Eunuch: Thorsten Frei on Federal Chancellery Expansion
Foreign Affairs Commissioner, Mr Frei, expressed his views:
Welcome aboard, Thorsten Frei! As the new head of the Federal Chancellery, this minister with special tasks is aiming to be an "honest broker" for the federal government. In an interview with "Stern," the CDU politician expressed his desire to avoid jeopardizing the cooperation between the SPD and the Union with his own political initiatives, but he also stressed, "I am a CDU federal minister and not a political eunuch."
New Challenges, Old Criticism
Frei, despite his previous criticism of the Chancellery's expansion project, now intends to stick with the plans, acknowledging, "The time when one could have reasonably decided on a construction stop has long passed." Construction is underway, and they will seek a cost-effective solution for its continuation. Initially, Frei had seen the project as a "vanity project."
Early Days, High Expectations
The stability of the new black-red coalition is something Frei believes in, and with an agreement on flexibility in handling the coalition agreement, he foresees a four-year partnership. "If there are events that lead to a fundamental change, we will put the coalition agreement aside - and develop new solutions," Frei pledged. The urgent need is to get the new government up and running, aiming to demonstrate a clear departure from the old one before the parliamentary summer break.
Tackling Redundancies
In his new role, Frei promises to reduce staff at the Chancellery, setting a target of two percent per year, as per the coalition agreement. The federal government has experienced growth in recent decades, and Frei is determined to reverse this trend. To combat redundancies, they have also addressed the commissioner issue, with a cabinet decision being made to reduce them. "For some posts, I had to check if they even exist - or if it's a joke," Frei said, aiming to put an end to the "commissioner phenomenon."
Federal Government | German Bundestag | Thorsten Frei | Federal Chancellery | Black-Red
- Thorsten Frei, as the new head of the Federal Chancellery, aims to act as an "honest broker" for the federal government, avoiding initiating actions that may strain the cooperation between the SPD and the Union.
- Despite his previous criticisms of the Federal Chancellery's expansion project, Frei now plans to move forward with it, acknowledging that the time for a construction stop has long passed.
- Frei believes in the stability of the new black-red coalition and foresees a four-year partnership. He notes that they will put aside the coalition agreement if fundamental changes occur and develop new solutions.
- In his new position, Frei promises to reduce staff at the Chancellery by two percent per year, as agreed upon in the coalition agreement. He also aims to address and reduce the "commissioner phenomenon," ensuring that all posts are necessary.
