CDU Secretary-General Linnemann discusses leadership transitions and potential job cutbacks

CDU Proposes Reduction in Civil Servants and Discusses Potential Female Successor for Federal President

In a recent development, CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann has advocated for a significant reduction in the number of civil servants and proposed a goal of saving 8% of staff in federal government ministries by 2029. However, Linnemann's proposed reduction does not include state-level appointments, as most civil service appointments are made at the state level.

Linnemann suggested that civil service should be limited to areas with a special loyalty to the state, such as the police, fire brigade, security areas, tax officials, and customs. He did not provide any other strategies for reducing the number of civil servants or any specific details about the impact of this reduction on the overall number of civil servants. Additionally, no other potential areas for reducing government spending were mentioned.

In a separate matter, the CDU has not yet decided if a woman will be the successor to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann mentioned that it would be a good signal to have a woman as the successor, but he did not comment on any specific names for the successor to Federal President Steinmeier, aside from mentioning Joachim Gauck as a positive example due to his ability to spark debates and connect with the common life.

Ursula von der Leyen, a potential candidate for the position, has reportedly declined any ambitions to become the successor to Federal President Steinmeier. A spokesperson for von der Leyen has also denied any ambitions for the position of Federal President.

The new Federal President will be elected by the Federal Assembly in 2027. The CDU-Politiker like Thorsten Frei support the idea of a woman as the successor, but concrete candidates will not be discussed until next year.

Linnemann also stated that not all employees in federal government ministries need to be civil servants. He believes that some roles can be filled by non-civil servants to reduce the overall number of civil servants.

This news comes as the CDU continues to shape its political agenda leading up to the 2027 Federal Assembly election. The party's proposals for reducing the number of civil servants and electing a female successor to Federal President Steinmeier are likely to be topics of discussion in the coming months.

CDU Secretary-General Linnemann discusses leadership transitions and potential job cutbacks