Overview

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet has a ten-to-eight male-female split, with key leadership roles predominantly held by men.
• Government spokesman Sebastian Hille acknowledged the gender imbalance but stated that no changes are planned, emphasizing Merz’s positive working relationships with women.
• Women’s Affairs Minister Karin Prien reaffirmed gender parity as a goal, urging for greater representation in leadership roles within the CDU and its decision-making bodies.
• CDU Deputy General Secretary Christina Stumpp proposed electing Germany’s first female Federal President in 2027 as a symbolic step toward progress.
• CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann admitted the party’s 23% female representation in parliament is a problem and called for efforts to involve more women in politics.