GERMANY-POLITICS-PRESIDENT-CHANCELLOR-APPOINTMENT-MINISTERS

(AFP) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (8L) and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C) pose with the new government ministers after their appointment at the presidential Bellevue Palace in Berlin on May 6, 2025: (from L) German Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Building Verena Hubertz, German Minister for Research, Technology and Space Dorothee Baer, German Minister for Agriculture Alois Rainer, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, German Minister for Digitalization and State Modernization Karsten Wildberger, German Minister for Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Karin Prien, German Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Baerbel Bas, German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, German Health Minister Nina Warken, German Economy and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche, German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali-Radovan, German Minister for Justice and Consumer Protection Stefanie Hubig, and Chief of Staff and Minister for Special Tasks Thorsten Frei.

Germany's conservative new Chancellor Merz has pledged to end months of political paralysis and rebuild Berlin's international standing, but got off to a bruising start on Tuesday. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)