Last hours of truth: Danes as ministers

Created: 06/24/2022Updated: 06/24/2022 15:53

Claus Ruhe Madsen (non-party), Lord Mayor of Rostock.

© Jens Büttner/dpa/archive image

Still party congress decisions and the election of the prime minister - then the first black-green state government in the north is at the start.

She got herself into trouble before she was in office.

Kiel/Rostock - A Dane is to become Economics Minister and a refugee "child" born in Neumünster with roots in Mali, Africa, Social Affairs Minister - the new state government in Schleswig-Holstein will make a striking impression simply because of these personal details.

According to information that has not yet been officially confirmed, Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) wants to transfer the economic department in his black-green cabinet to the previous Mayor of Rostock, Claus Ruhe Madsen (independent / 49).

It will take a few days until then.

First of all, the state party conferences on Monday in Neumünster have to decide on the negotiated coalition agreement.

That will take longer with the Greens, who are more open to discussion than with the CDU.

For them, Günther not only won the election with 43.4 percent (Greens: 18.3 percent), but also made it clear in coalition poker who is the stronger.

For example, the Greens must give up responsibility for agriculture and swallow toads on civil rights, police powers and other issues important to them.

In this respect, the negotiating team headed by Finance Minister Monika Heinold (63) and the designated Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré (29) is not only to be expected to receive great praise at their party congress.

But nobody doubts a yes to the coalition agreement.

The urge of the Greens to continue to govern is too great.

They have been doing this intermittently for ten years, first with the SPD and SSW, then with the CDU and FDP.

The new government structure reflects the balance of power.

In addition to the prime minister and the head of the state chancellery, Dirk Schrödter, who is becoming a minister, the CDU has five department heads.

Karin Prien (Education) and Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (Internal Affairs) continue.

Günther does not want to officially announce the occupations for economy, agriculture and the strangely redesigned Ministry of Justice and Health until Monday at the party conference.

His vote for Madsen comes as a surprise, since he had just come under massive criticism for his leadership in Rostock.

Because completion dates for important construction projects cannot be met, the largest city in the north-east had to cancel the federal garden show planned for 2025.

The fact that Madsen is Danish does not matter for an appointment to the cabinet.

In terms of status, there are no obstacles for a foreigner as a minister, said government spokesman Peter Höver in principle.

Madsen opened a furniture store in Rostock in 1998.

His commitment as an entrepreneur and his unconventional manner led him to the top of the Rostock Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

In 2019 he became the first foreign mayor of a major German city.

His reputation as a doer spread nationally, and Madsen became a welcome guest on TV talk shows.

But unsolved problems piled up in the city;

in recent months the wind has been blowing harder and harder in his face.

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The personnel tableau for the Greens in Schleswig-Holstein is clear: the third minister after Heinold, who will continue in her post, and Touré will be Tobias Goldschmidt (40), previously State Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment.

He is now promoted to department head.

Günther's re-election as prime minister is scheduled for Wednesday.

Since the CDU and the Greens have 48 of the 69 mandates, nothing can go wrong in the state parliament.

It will be more uncomfortable on Thursday: A government statement was initially announced for the day, but this should now come after the summer break - because the government first wants to create a work program.

For the SPD, FDP and SSW opposition, this is an affront to parliament and voters.

Before the summer break, Günther had to explain the coalition agreement and explain how his government intends to deal with the challenges ahead.

To this end, the opposition is missing solutions in the coalition agreement, which - with some praise - has triggered various criticisms.

Now Günther has to go on Thursday.

The opposition has put a topical hour on the agenda on the complex of issues.

Günther will not only have to listen to criticism of the content of the coalition agreement, but also scolding about how the government statement was handled - that could have been avoided.

dpa