Merz cabinet reshuffle follows Spahn’s surprise resignation

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz moved quickly to reshape his cabinet on Wednesday after Jens Spahn, one of the CDU’s most prominent figures, stepped down from his ministerial post in a move that caught many in Berlin off guard. The reshuffle signals both the fragility of internal party dynamics and Merz’s determination to keep his coalition government on stable ground.

Spahn’s exit rattles the coalition

Spahn, who served as health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic and has long been considered a heavyweight within the Christian Democratic Union, submitted his resignation citing personal and political differences with the direction of the current government. He didn’t elaborate publicly, but sources within the CDU described tensions that had been building for several weeks. His departure leaves a significant gap — both symbolically and practically — in a cabinet that’s already navigating a difficult economic outlook and pressure from the AfD on the right.

The timing wasn’t ideal. Germany’s economy contracted by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, and the government faces mounting pressure over energy costs and immigration policy heading into the summer recess.

Merz moves fast to fill the void

Within 48 hours of Spahn’s announcement, Merz unveiled a revised cabinet lineup. The most notable appointment is Silke Baumann, a relatively lower-profile CDU figure from North Rhine-Westphalia, who steps into a newly defined portfolio combining elements of health and social affairs. It’s a consolidation move, and some analysts see it as Merz tightening his personal grip on the cabinet’s ideological direction.

Two other ministerial roles were reshuffled in what officials described as a “structural realignment” rather than a crisis response. Still, not everyone was convinced by that framing.

“The chancellor acted decisively and with the stability of the government in mind,” a senior CDU official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “This is about making the cabinet more efficient, not about damage control.”

But questions remain about party unity

Spahn’s exit is the second high-profile departure from Merz’s inner circle in less than six months. And that’s a pattern opposition figures were quick to seize on. The SPD’s parliamentary group issued a statement calling the reshuffle “a symptom of deeper dysfunction” within the governing coalition, while the Greens questioned whether Merz had lost control of his own party’s right flank.

Internal CDU polling, reportedly circulated among senior members last week, showed approval for Merz’s leadership at 41 percent among party members — down from 56 percent at the start of the year.

That’s not a catastrophic number. But it’s a trend Merz won’t want to ignore.

What comes next

The newly configured cabinet is expected to hold its first full session by the end of next week. Merz has signaled he’ll use that meeting to outline a revised legislative agenda for the autumn, with particular focus on economic reform and border management. Whether the reshuffle steadies the ship or simply delays larger reckoning within the CDU remains to be seen. European partners will be watching closely, especially as Germany’s role in EU budget negotiations intensifies through July.