New State Secretary in the Foreign Office: Baerbock makes controversial personnel decision
Created: 12/20/2021, 05:28 AM
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Liverpool.
© Jon Super / AP Pool / AP / dpa
Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has appointed a new State Secretary after returning from her inaugural trip.
Miguel Berger leaves after just one and a half years.
Berlin - Annalena Baerbock made a controversial personnel decision on her first day at the Foreign Office: She has the State Secretary Miguel Berger replaced by Andreas Michaelis, the previous German ambassador in London.
Berger was only appointed by Heiko Maas (SPD) in 2020 - and Andreas Michaelis was his predecessor as State Secretary.
Annalena Baerbock traveled through Europe immediately after taking office.
According to
Spiegel
, the decision in the Foreign Office is controversial because Berger was popular as an open and accessible superior.
The ministry would also speculate about the reasons - it is not ruled out that it is a question of power politics.
Annalena Baerbock (Greens) brings Green Party member to the Foreign Office
Unlike the respective ministers, the employees in the State Ministry - up to the State Secretary - are not from the respective governing parties.
Nevertheless, according to speculation according to
Spiegel
, party affiliation could have played a role in Baerbock's decision.
Because while Berger is close to the SPD, Michaelis is a member of the Greens.
And Annalena Baerbock wants to convert the politics of her house to a "value-based" one.
But whether Michaelis - currently ambassador in London - would support this policy is very open, according to experts in the Foreign Office.
Annalena Baerbock's decision could also have something to do with Olaf Scholz (SPD)
As the
Spiegel
claims to have found out, Baerbock could also have had another reason for their decision.
It is possible that she wanted to position her ministry primarily opposite the Chancellery - and thus also Olaf Scholz (SPD).
She could have considered the power-conscious Michaelis more suitable than his predecessor, who recently worked very closely with the Chancellery.
It is said to be different with Michaelis: in his first term as State Secretary he already represented the interests of the Foreign Office with great dedication to the government headquarters.
(kat)