Merz Cabinet: Nina Warken to become Minister of Health

Warken hails from Baden-Württemberg , where she won the Odenwald-Tauber constituency directly. The lawyer has been a member of the Bundestag since 2013. She has been Secretary General of the CDU Baden-Württemberg since 2023 and a member of the Federal Executive Board of the Women's Union since 2019. During the last legislative period, she served on the Committee on Internal Affairs and Homeland Security, the Legal Affairs Committee, and the Electoral Law Commission.

When asked about the health care system in February, she told the "Mainpost": "The CDU / CSU is firmly committed to maintaining local pharmacies and wants to, for example, reduce waiting times for doctor's appointments by better helping patients find a suitable doctor with appointment capacity."

In her constituency, she also intends to advocate for the preservation of hospitals and pediatric emergency services, as well as support the establishment of rural doctors. "Our healthcare system must be composed of various components that together provide safer care for all ages and walks of life."

In the field of nursing, the main goal is to eliminate the shortage of skilled workers by making nursing professions more attractive and enhancing the flexibility of staff deployment, Warken said. "Better pay isn't the only thing that contributes to the attractiveness of nursing. Better working conditions also motivate young people to choose a nursing career. At the same time, the burden on those who care for family members at home must be significantly reduced."

The rumor has not been officially confirmed, but the appointment has been confirmed by various sources. Warken would therefore be a surprise in the cabinet of the new Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz . CDU health politician Tino Sorge had recently been hotly tipped to succeed Karl Lauterbach ( SPD ) in the Federal Ministry of Health . His name was on an earlier list of possible ministers, but on Sunday evening there were indications that his parliamentary group's health policy spokesman would miss out on the ministerial posts. Merz plans to introduce his ministers on Monday from 2 p.m., at the latest then there will be clarity.