Unapologetic Advisor at the Helm: Thorsten Frei on Chancellery Expansion and Personnel Reduction
Foreign Affairs Commissioner, Mr. Frei, stated:
In the hot seat as the Chief of Staff of the Federal Chancellery and Minister for Special Tasks, Thorsten Frei isn't shying away from the contentious topic of the Chancellery expansion. Known for his candid and direct demeanor, Frei proclaimed, "Ain't no political castrato here!"
Freshly appointed to lead the CDU faction in the German federal government, Frei is adamant about maintaining a low-key approach to politics. "I ain't gonna rock the boat and jeopardize the alliance between the SPD and Union with my hot-headed antics," he expressed. Yet, he emphasized his loyalty to his party, saying, "I'm a CDU minister, not a apathetic bystander."
Despite expressing reservations in the past about the proposed expansion, the ambitious project seems to be moving full steam ahead. "The ship's been launched, and it's way too late to switch courses now," Frei defended. Acknowledging the criticism that aimed the project as an ostentatious endeavor, he added, "But hey, we've got something growing in the ground over there, and we aim to tackle the challenge of further development in the most cost-effective manner possible."
With the expansion, the Federal Chancellery has seen a boom in personnel under Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Costs for the construction have skyrocketed to approximately 800 million euros[1][2], but even in the face of criticism from his predecessor Finance Minister Christian Lindner, Scholz staunchly defended the expansion.
As a cost-cutting measure, Frei is focusing on personnel reduction and organizational streamlining. He's committed to achieving a 2% reduction in personnel yearly, as outlined in the coalition agreement[3]. He stated, "I ain't gonna be a hypocrite and demand cuts from others, while sitting on the fence myself." Frei has also taken issue with the excessive use of commissioners and has vowed to put an end to the "commissioner phenomenon"[3].
Sources:* ntv.de* politicstoday.de* list.ly
- German Government
- Thorsten Frei
- Federal Chancellery
- Coalition Agreement
- Personnel Reduction
- Commissioner Phenomenon
- Amidst the ongoing expansion of the Federal Chancellery, Thorsten Frei, the CDU's newly appointed Minister for Special Tasks, is keen on maintaining a balanced approach in politics, distancing himself from any actions that might strain the alliance between the SPD and Union.
- Despite initial reservations, the free movement of workers within the EC countries remains at the forefront of Frei's considerations as he urges for the most cost-effective means to address the challenges of further development, particularly in the context of the Chancellery expansion.
- In response to criticism about the ostentatious nature of the Chancellery's expansion, which has led to a steep increase in construction costs to approximately 800 million euros, Thorsten Frei is adamant about implementing a 2% annual reduction in personnel, as outlined in the coalition agreement, to minimize expenses.
- In a bid to counteract the "commissioner phenomenon" in German politics, Thorsten Frei has vowed to focus on streamlining organizational structures, including a reduction in the number of commissioners, to promote efficiency and combat what he views as exaggerations in policy-and-legislation and general-news reporting.
