Muslim lawmaker appointed deputy foreign minister in Germany’s new government
Serap Guler’s appointment as deputy foreign minister marks a significant milestone for diversity in Germany’s political leadership
BERLIN (MNTV) – Serap Guler, a Turkish-German lawmaker and a Muslim, has been named deputy foreign minister in Germany’s incoming conservative government.
The announcement was part of the new CDU/CSU-SPD coalition cabinet, set to take office on May 6 under Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz.
Guler will serve alongside Johann Wadephul, the newly appointed foreign minister, in addressing Germany’s foreign policy challenges, including NATO’s strength and evolving global security concerns.
Guler, 43, has been a Bundestag (German federal parliament) member since 2021, representing the Leverkusen–Cologne IV district.
Before this, she served as State Secretary for Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia, becoming her parliamentary group’s first Turkish-origin member in 2012.
A member of the Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) social wing, Guler is known for her balanced approach to faith and politics.
She has taken distinctive positions on sensitive issues, such as opposing abortion and rejecting forced hijab-wearing for children.
She also served on the Bundestag’s Defense Committee and a commission reviewing Germany’s role in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021.
The new CDU/CSU-SPD coalition government emerges after the collapse of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party alliance last November.
Merz’s conservatives hold 10 ministerial posts, while the SPD takes seven.
Other key appointments include Katherina Reiche as economy and energy minister and Alexander Dobrindt as interior minister, tasked with implementing stricter immigration policies.
Guler’s appointment as deputy foreign minister represents a significant milestone for Germany’s Turkish and Muslim communities, reflecting greater diversity in political leadership.
However, her vocal criticism of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan underscores her independent stance as she prepares to navigate Germany’s foreign relations in an increasingly complex global landscape.
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