Eichel: Steinbrück Will Succeed Me
October 13, 2005
Going into the a meeting of the Social Democratic Party's leadership to discuss the new ministers in a grand coalition with the Christian Democrats under Angela Merkel's leadership, Eichel said that he would not keep the job he has held for six and a half years.
"No, you know the laws of politics," he said, adding that 58-year-old Steinbrück "will do it very well."
He said he thought his finance policy proposals would be implemented under his sucessor, Reuters reported.
Steinbrück led Germany's most populous state from 2002 until earlier this year, when his governing red-green coalition lost power to Christian Democrats and free-market liberal Free Democrats. The election defeat caused German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to push for national elections.
Steinbrück is seen as a member of the SPD's right wing. He previously also served as North Rhine-Westphalia's finance minister.
New and old ministers
SPD leader Franz Münterfering is expected to officially announce his party's cabinet posts later in the day.
Münterfering himself is expected to become vice chancellor and labor minister while Frank Walter Steinmeier, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's chief-of-staff, is pegged to take over the foreign ministry.
Leipzig's Mayor Wolfgang Tiefensee will likely cover transportation issues in the new government while Sigmar Gabriel, the former premier of the state of Lower Saxony, is slated to become environment minister.
Current ministers who will probably keep their jobs include Health Minister Ulla Schmidt, Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries and Economic Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul.
The Christian Union parties have so far not named their ministers, but Merkel will take the chancellory and Bavarian Premier Edmund Stoiber will become economics minister.