Chancellor's Top Aide Takes the Reins: "I'm No Puppet"
Foreign Affairs Commissioner Mr Frei spoke out, stating:
In his new position as Federal Chancellery's head, Thorsten Frei is ready to play the role of an "honest broker." He plans to keep the expensive Chancellery expansion alive, a project he once called a "vanity project" as an opposition politician.
Frei assures the media, "I'll keep the fancy talk to a minimum." He wants to steer clear of rocking the boat between SPD and Union with his political ventures. Frei, a CDU man to the core, swiftly adds, "But don't mistake me for a political castrato."
Early Moves
Frei was taken aback by Merz's election win, stating, "It was a shock to witness." Despite the initial stumble, Frei maintains faith in the longevity of the new black-red coalition. He believes the key to a four-year term lies in flexibility concerning the coalition agreement. "If unforeseen events necessitate a fundamental change, we'll toss the agreement aside – and come up with new solutions," he pledges.
Frei is optimistic about the new coalition functioning swiftly. He asserts, "Our aim is to show, before the summer break, that the new government is unlike the old one."
Regarding the Chancellery expansion, despite his criticism, Frei intends to press forward. He acknowledges, "The decision for a building halt was long past when I took a critical look at the project." He notes, "Something's sprouting out of the ground there now." Frei is eager to discover an affordable solution for the ongoing construction, dismissing the project as a "vanity project" in the past.
Under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellery underwent a substantial personnel expansion. The costs for the building expansion reached approximately €800 million, despite concerns from Scholz's then Finance Minister, Christian Lindner.
Politics
In his new capacity, Frei envisions reducing staff at the Chancellery by 2% each year. He emphasizes that this applies to all ministries. "I wouldn't be a credible politician if I only imposed tough decisions on others." The federal government has witnessed growth over the years, with only a few exceptions. "We must reverse this trend urgently."
Frei is also addressing the matter of numerous commissioners within the government. A decision to reduce their numbers has been made, as Frei goes after the "commissioner phenomenon." This isn't a savings measure, but an effort at efficient state organization.
- Federal Government
- German Bundestag
- Thorsten Frei
- Federal Chancellery
- Black-Red
Related Topics:With increased material costs, weak demand, and inflation plaguing the construction industry, the German industry is expected to decline by 1.8% in 2025 [1][4]. The new government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans significant investments in infrastructure, with a €500 billion infrastructure fund earmarked [2]. However, the detailed plans and tasks of the new head of the Federal Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, are unclear in terms of staff reduction and cost-effective solutions for the Chancellery expansion.
[1] Construction Industry in Germany: Future Prospects Amid Rising Material Costs
[2] Germany's New Government: Infrastructure Fund to Boost Economic Growth
[3] Germany's Political Landscape: An Overview of the Federal Government, Bundesrat, and Bundestag
[4] Germany's Construction Industry: Decline Continues Despite Economic Growth
- Thorsten Frei, the new head of the Federal Chancellery in EC countries, urges a reduction in the number of commissioners within the German government to promote efficient state organization.
- Despite initially criticizing it as a "vanity project," Thorsten Frei, the new head of the Federal Chancellery, is urgently seeking an affordable solution for the ongoing construction of the Chancellery expansion.
- In a bid to reduce spending within the Federal Government, Thorsten Frei, the new head of the Federal Chancellery, plans to impose a 2% staff reduction across all ministries.
- In response to exaggerated concerns about the free movement of workers in EC countries, Thorsten Frei, the new head of the Federal Chancellery, assures that he will keep the exaggerations to a minimum and steer clear of politics that could rock the political boat.
