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### Viewing cable 09BERLIN1360, THE NEW GERMAN CABINET - AN OVERVIEW

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09BERLIN1360 | 2009-10-29 06:06 | 2010-11-28 18:06 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Berlin

`

    VZCZCXRO3059
    RR RUEHIK
    DE RUEHRL #1360/01 3020636
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 290636Z OCT 09
    FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5600
    INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
    RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BERLIN 001360

    SENSITIVE

    DEPT FOR EUR/CE
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958:  N/A
    TAGS: PGOV PINR GM
    SUBJECT: THE NEW GERMAN CABINET - AN OVERVIEW

    Ref: Berlin 1337, Berlin 1340, Berlin 1167

    BERLIN 00001360  001.2 OF 004

    ¶1. (SBU) Chancellor Merkel's new Cabinet emerged early on October 24
    after a month of intense media speculation about its make-up; it
    contained several surprises.  Perhaps the most unexpected
    announcements were that of former Interior Minister Schaeuble as
    Finance Minister and former Economics Minister Karl-Theodor zu
    Guttenberg as the new Defense Minister.  The Christian Democratic
    Union (CDU) will run the Chancellery as well as six ministries and
    have a minister without portfolio, the Free Democratic Party (FDP)
    will hold five as well as the Vice Chancellorship, and the Christian
    Social Union (CSU), three.  The ministerial competencies and their
    names remain unchanged.  Following is a short description of
    Merkel's new Cabinet, which was formally sworn in on October 28:

    Chief of the Chancellery and Minister
    Without Portfolio: Ronald Pofalla (CDU)
    --------------------------------------

    Pofalla, 50, takes over from Thomas de Maiziere as the Chancellor's
    chief of staff.  Pofalla is a lawyer and since 2005 served as CDU
    Secretary General.  He is known as a close confidant of Angela
    Merkel.  As Secretary General, he had been criticized as lacking a
    public profile and not being aggressive enough.  From 2004-2005 he
    served as deputy caucus leader for economics and labor issues in the
    Bundestag.  Also within the Chancellery, Merkel's security and
    foreign policy advisor Christoph Heusgen remains, as do Maria
    Boehmer as Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration
    and Bernd Neumann, Minister of State for Culture and Media.  Eckart
    von Klaeden (CDU and a Merkel confidant) becomes State Minister in
    the Chancellery for coordination with the federal states and
    parliamentary contacts.

    Foreign Affairs: Guido Westerwelle (FDP)
    ---------------------------------------

    Westerwelle, 47, becomes Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor -- as
    expected.  Economic Assistance will not be included in the Foreign
    office, but the FDP will also control that ministry.  Minister of
    State within the MFA will be Werner Hoyer, who already served in
    that function under Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel from 1994-1998.
    He also was Westerwelle's foreign policy adviser in the election
    campaign.  He will cover all divisions apart from "culture" and
    "economics and sustainable development."  The other Minister of
    State is Cornelia Pieper, deputy FDP chairperson, who has no
    experience in this field and will reportedly focus on cultural and
    communication issues.  Martin Biesel, Westerwelle's Bundestag chief
    of staff, will become a State Secretary within the MFA to coordinate
    the work of the FDP ministries with the Chancellery.  Westerwelle
    has described Biesel as his closest advisor.

    Defense: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU)
    ----------------------------------------

    The CSU's rising star, zu Guttenberg, 37, seemed certain to remain
    in the cabinet.  However, there was speculation that his Economics
    Ministry seat would be up for grabs.  When Economics went to the FDP
    and Finance to Schaeuble, zu Guttenberg's best fit was in Defense.
    The DefMin job gives zu Guttenberg the opportunity to work on
    foreign and security issues again, which was his main area of
    interest as a parliamentarian.  He is seen as a good and capable
    replacement for Jung, who was widely criticized for being overly
    cautious and inarticulate in explaining security and defense issues
    to the German public.  Zu Guttenberg is expected to improve the
    Defense Ministry's image, prestige and weight within the cabinet
    through his popularity and public relations talents.  His
    appointment has already boosted morale among working level officials
    in the MOD, who believe that zu Guttenberg will make MOD a real
    player once again in German security policy debates.  He is a
    transatlanticist and well known in Washington.  He will likely give
    the Defense Ministry a higher profile.  He will retain the current
    Parliamentary State Secretaries Thomas Kossendey (CSU) and Christian
    Schmidt (CSU).

    Interior: Thomas de Maiziere (CDU)
    ---------------------------------

    De Maiziere, 55, a lawyer, is a confidant of Angela Merkel and has
    served as her chief of staff in the Chancellery for four years.  He
    had been mentioned as a potential finance minister, but reportedly,
    his personal preference was interior.  He brings some experience to
    the job, since he served as state interior minister in Saxony
    2004-2005 and as state minister of justice 2002-2004.  However, some
    of the issues he will face as federal interior minister, namely
    international terrorism, are topics he has less exposure to.  De
    Maiziere is known to be a consensus builder who works the
    interagency process well and is a good problem solver.

    BERLIN 00001360  002.2 OF 004

    Finance: Wolfgang Schaeuble (CDU)
    ---------------------------------

    Merkel wanted a political heavy weight in this difficult position
    during the financial and economic crisis.  Schaeuble, 67, is an
    experienced, strong and well established politician from Germany's
    southwest, who is expected to fill his new role quite well.  He has
    by far the longest federal government experience in Merkel's
    cabinet.  Confined to a wheel chair since he was shot during a
    campaign rally in 1990, the conservative politician from the German
    southwest is not known as a close friend of Chancellor Merkel's.  A
    member of the Bundestag since 1972, he is pragmatic, copes well with
    pressure, and is known for his fierce loyalty.  He does not shy away
    from confrontation and will be ready to pursue unpopular or
    controversial measures.  In light of his age and his political
    standing, he does not have to fear any consequences for his future
    career, which a younger candidate would take into consideration.
    While he had to give up the Interior Ministry (which he reportedly
    liked very much), he is being compensated by running one of the most
    influential ministries in the cabinet.  While he cooperated well
    during the coalition talks, political observers would have expected
    major clashes with FDP Justice Minister Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger
    over domestic security issues if he had remained in the Interior
    Ministry.

    Economics and Technology: Rainer Bruederle (FDP)
    --------------------------------------------- --

    Bruederle, 64, has been deputy caucus chief and economic spokesman
    of the FDP in the Bundestag.  He already served as economic minster
    in Rhineland Palatinate 1987-1998, where he strongly promoted
    wine-growers, trade, and small and midsize business.  Since 1983 he
    has been state chairman of the FDP in Rhineland Palatinate and
    member of the national executive committee and since 1995 deputy
    national party chairman.  Hans-Joachim Otto and Ernst Burgbacher
    (both FDP) will become State Secretaries within that Ministry.

    Labor and Social Affairs: Franz-Josef Jung (CDU)
    --------------------------------------------- --

    Defense Minister Jung, 60, was unexpectedly switched to the Labor
    and Social Affairs ministry.  Jung had fallen victim to much
    criticism during his tenure as Defense Minister and Merkel had been
    pressured to replace him.  Merkel, however, had to find another
    cabinet post for Jung to maintain a proportional regional
    representation in the cabinet - Jung's state of Hesse had to be
    represented.   Another reason for Merkel to keep Jung in the cabinet
    in spite of his weaknesses and previous failures is his loyalty as a
    minister.

    Justice: Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (FDP)
    --------------------------------------------- --

    Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, 58, is FDP chairperson and caucus chief
    in Bavaria.  She successfully ran the 2008 FDP election campaign in
    that state, where the FDP reentered the state parliament after 14
    years of absence.  She was the FDP's chief negotiator on Justice in
    the coalition talks.  She previously served as Justice Minister
    under Chancellor Kohl from 1992-1996, but resigned in opposition to
    legislation allowing electronic eavesdropping of private residences,
    which was planned by her own government.  She has a strong focus on
    civil rights and data protection, and has been critical of what she
    views are overly intrusive wiretapping and other electronic
    surveillance measures (see ref C).

    Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women
    and Youth: Ursula von der Leyen (CDU)
    --------------------------------------

    Von der Leyen, 51, a medical doctor and mother of seven, had
    indicated a strong interest in moving to the health portfolio and
    worked out that respective section of the coalition agreement for
    the CDU.  Merkel reportedly was not interested, however, in the CDU
    controlling the health ministry in light of the necessary but
    unpopular reforms and increasing costs of health care for citizens.
    Since the health ministry went to the FDP, von der Leyen will remain
    in her current position. In the past few years, von der Leyen has
    successfully modernized the family policy of the CDU and thus its
    image in this sector.  She is one of Germany's most popular
    politicians according to public opinion polls.

    Health: Philipp Roesler (FDP)
    ----------------------------

    Roesler, 36, is the youngest member of the cabinet and his
    nomination was a surprise.  He is sharp and dynamic and a rising
    star of the FDP.  He was state secretary general, state party
    chairman and eventually economics minister in Lower-Saxony.  He was
    born in Vietnam and was adopted by a German family.  Both Roesler

    BERLIN 00001360  003.2 OF 004

    and his wife are medical doctors, which gives him some practical
    background for his new portfolio.  Roesler negotiated the health
    section of the coalition agreement for the FDP.

    Environment, Nature Conservation and
    Nuclear Safety: Norbert Roettgen (CDU)
    -------------------------------------

    Roettgen, 44, a close confidant of Chancellor Merkel had also been
    named as potential chief of staff at the Chancellery.  He has worked
    closely with the Chancellor since her days as caucus chairman
    2002-2005.  Merkel reportedly appreciates his loyalty and analytical
    talents.  During the financial crisis he became one of her closest
    advisors.  While he does not have a reputation for expertise in his
    new portfolio, Merkel obviously wanted to position many of her
    confidants in the new cabinet.  Environmental issues, especially
    climate change, will figure prominently for Merkel.

    Education and Research: Annette Schavan (CDU)
    ---------------------------------------------

    Schavan, 54, will keep her current cabinet position.  Even though
    she did not have a prominent record, as a confidant of Angela
    Merkel, it was assumed that she would stay on as a member of the
    cabinet.

    Transportation, Building, and Urban
    Development:  Peter Ramsauer (CSU)
    -----------------------------------

    Since November 2005, Ramsauer, 55, has served as head of the CSU
    group in the Bundestag and deputy CDU/CSU caucus chief.  As minister
    for construction, housing and transportation, he will have a huge
    budget to work with.

    Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection:
    Ilse Aigner (CSU)
    -------------------------------------------

    Aigner, 44, only became Minister for Agriculture and Consumer
    Protection in October 2008.  She came to this job as an expert on
    research issues and new to the realities of production agriculture.
    In her tenure, some parts of the German agriculture community have
    been critical of her performance, particularly her close
    relationship to Bavarian Minister President Horst Seehofer. The CSU
    was interested in keeping this portfolio since agriculture continues
    to play an important and tactical role in Bavaria.

    Economic Cooperation and Development: Dirk Niebel (FDP)
    --------------------------------------------- -----

    Niebel, 46, has been Secretary General of the FDP since May 2005 and
    belongs to the inner leadership circle of the FDP.  He was named as
    a potential minister since he made strong contributions to the
    electoral success of the FDP.  His actual expertise would have been
    labor and social affairs.  However, that portfolio went to the CDU.
    The FDP sought in the coalition talks to have the Ministry of
    Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) merged with the MFA, but
    failing that, having control of both ministries goes a long way to
    meeting its concern that BMZ development policy be in line with MFA
    priorities, especially on key issues like Afghanistan.  Media
    commentary has focused on Niebel's lack of previous experience in
    development assistance, and how he may essentially serve as a
    department head under Foreign Minister Westerwelle.

    Comment
    -------

    ¶2.  (SBU) With five ministries in the new cabinet, the FDP is
    arguably one of the most powerful junior coalition partners in
    recent German history in terms of both the number and quality of
    their cabinet appointments.  The Greens had three, mostly junior,
    ministries in their coalition with the Social Democrats from
    1998-2005.  The FDP has one more than it had during its last
    coalition with the CDU.  This is due in part to the election outcome
    in which the FDP had its strongest-ever performance, with 14.6
    percent of the vote.  CDU officials also describe the appointments
    as partial compensation for the policy concessions the FDP made
    during coalition negotiations.  The CDU/CSU will have the popular
    and competent Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg as Defense Minister,
    balancing the FDP's control over Foreign Affairs and Development
    Assistance.  Zu Guttenberg -- a strong transatlanticist -- is
    well-connected in Washington and already has a strong background in
    foreign and security policy.  There has been some criticism that the
    new Cabinet does not have any representation from eastern states.
    Merkel responded to the criticism reminding that in fact the
    Chancellor herself counts as representing the East.  End comment.

    BERLIN 00001360  004.2 OF 004

    ¶3.  (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulates Frankfurt,
    Leipzig, Munich, Hamburg and Duesseldorf.

    Murphy

`