New minister - Dörte Schall appointed new Minister of Labor and Social Affairs
Dorte Schall (SPD) has been appointed as the new Minister for Social Affairs, Labor, Transformation and Digitalization in Rhineland-Palatinate. The 46-year-old will take over the position from Alexander Schweitzer, who was previously elected Minister-President of the state in Mainz.
The new head of government presented Schall with the signed appointment decree during one of his first official acts. Following this, the entire state government, including the new cabinet colleague, gathered at the State Chancellery during the recess of the Landtag session.
Born in Ludwigshafen, Schall was previously the deputy mayor of Mönchengladbach and the labor secretary of the IG BCE (Industry, Energy and Mining Union) in the Neuwied and Düsseldorf regions. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, she also held the position of deputy SPD chair. However, during her presentation, she announced that she would be joining the SPD association in Rhineland-Palatinate.
In the Rhineland-Palatinate coalition government, Schall is the only new face following the change in leadership of the state government. Schweitzer will take over the role of head of government from Malu Dreyer (SPD), who is stepping down from politics after eleven years as Minister-President.
- Dorte Schall's appointment as the Minister for Social Affairs, Labor, Transformation, and Digitalization is significant for the digitization efforts in the government of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
- As a native of Ludwigshafen, Schall brings her experience in labor affairs from her tenure as the labor secretary of the IG BCE in the Neuwied and Düsseldorf regions to her new role in the government of Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Alexander Schweitzer, the outgoing Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, will continue his political career within the government, likely playing a role in the digital transformation efforts, given his state's focus on digitization.
- The appointment of Schall and the subsequent changes in the Rhineland-Palatinate coalition government are expected to have a significant impact on the political landscape and policy directions within the state, particularly in the areas of social affairs, labor, and digitization.
