Gerlach becomes Health Minister, Beißwenger Europe
After more than 16 years, Melanie Huml from Upper Franconia is no longer a member of the Bavarian state government. She will be replaced by Eric Beißwenger from Swabia as Minister for Europe in the new cabinet of Minister President Markus Söder (all CSU). According to information from the German Press Agency, Söder made this announcement on Wednesday at a meeting of the CSU parliamentary group in the Bavarian state parliament. At the beginning of the meeting, the parliamentary group elected Michael Hofmann as the new Parliamentary Secretary. The swearing-in of the new cabinet is planned for the afternoon.
In addition, the previous Digital Minister Judith Gerlach is to take over the health portfolio in the new Council of Ministers. The post was vacant as the previous incumbent Klaus Holetschek has been head of the state parliamentary group for a few weeks now. The third new appointment announced by Söder was the appointment of Martin Schöffel from Upper Franconia as State Secretary for Finance. In future, the CSU will no longer be responsible for the Ministry of Digital Affairs - it was transferred to the Free Voters as part of the coalition negotiations.
The appointment of the cabinet is the final step in the formation of the new government, which initially began with work on the new coalition agreement between the CSU and the Free Voters after the elections on October 8. Eight days ago, Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had already been sworn in.
Söder had already given job guarantees to the vast majority of ministers in recent weeks and months: Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, Science Minister Markus Blume, Finance Minister Albert Füracker, Head of the State Chancellery Florian Herrmann, Construction Minister Christian Bernreiter and Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber will remain in office. Georg Eisenreich can continue as Minister of Justice, Ulrike Scharf as Minister of Social Affairs and Sandro Kirchner as State Secretary of the Interior.
The cabinet is completed by five politicians from the Free Voters: party leader Hubert Aiwanger remains Minister of Economic Affairs, Thorsten Glauber Minister of the Environment, Fabian Mehring Minister of Digital Affairs and Anna Stolz Minister of Education. New State Secretary for Economic Affairs Tobias Gotthardt.
The new Minister for Europe in the Bavarian state government is Eric Beißwenger, replacing Melanie Huml, while Judith Gerlach transfers from the Digital Minister role to head the Health Ministry in the Council of Ministers due to the vacancy caused by Klaus Holetschek's new position as the state parliamentary group head.
In the context of forming the new government, Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) has also appointed Martin Schöffel from Upper Franconia as State Secretary for Finance, as the CSU relinquishes responsibility for the Ministry of Digital Affairs, which is now handled by the Free Voters.
Source: www.dpa.com
