BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany’s conservative party is expected to name Katherina Reiche as the country’s next economy minister, as part of a raft of appointments to be revealed on Monday, two people familiar with the matter said.
German conservatives under Friedrich Merz clinched a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) earlier this month, aiming to revive growth in Europe’s largest economy just as a global trade war threatens recession.
A former lawmaker, Reiche has been CEO of regional energy infrastructure firm Westenergie – a division of E.ON, Europe’s largest operator of power grids — since early 2020.
Carsten Linnemann, General Secretary of Merz’s CDU, said the conservative party would unveil its ministerial appointments on Monday.
Reiche, 51, served as a member of Germany’s parliament from 1998 until 2015 and held roles as parliamentary secretary at the environment and transport ministries.
Prior to her current role, Reiche — who sits on the supervisory board of automotive supplier Schaeffler — was the chief executive of Germany’s VKU association of local utilities.
The CDU and E.ON declined to comment on the matter.
Reiche would take over from Robert Habeck of the Greens, who held the economy portfolio during Europe’s energy crisis and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Separately, Johann Wadephul, deputy leader of the CDU/CSU conservative faction in parliament responsible for foreign and defence topics, is expected to be named foreign minister in the new government, according to one of the people familiar with the matter as well as a third source.
If confirmed, Wadephul, a member of Germany’s parliament since 2009, would succeed Annalena Baerbock of the Greens in the position.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Christoph Steitz;Editing by Ros Russell and Gareth Jones)
