Move triggers speculation about whether popular former labour minister is being groomed as Angela Merkel's successor
In a new German cabinet that otherwise presented many familiar faces in familiar political roles, there was one big surprise: Ursula von der Leyen is to become Germany's first female defence minister.
Her appointment triggered speculation not only about how the male-dominated army would respond to having a woman in charge, but about whether the 55-year-old is being groomed to become Angela Merkel's successor as leader of the Christian Democrats.
In her previous post as labour and social affairs minister, Von der Leyen oversaw an unprecedented rise in the number of Germany's working poor – people who work full- or part-time but still rely on state benefits to make ends meet.
Yet an instinct for cleverly timed interventions and an abundance of self-confidence allowed the mother of seven to present herself as the social conscience of the last coalition government.
By speaking out in favour of increasing the number of nurseries and the introduction of a women's quota, gay marriage and a nationwide minimum wage, Von der Leyen made enemies among the more traditionalist party members and won admirers on the left.
Her popularity ratings are consistently high – too high for Merkel, some have suggested. Given that her old post had been earmarked by Social Democrats early on during the coalition talks, it looked like Von der Leyen's rise to power had been cut short, until news her new role leaked at the weekend.
Cynics say that a move to the scandal-prone defence ministry is the perfect way to set up a rival for a fall, as it was for another rising star during Merkel's reign, the ambitious Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. But others feel that Von der Leyen is being cleverly groomed as Merkel's successor – no small task, given the relative lack of charismatic leaders in CDU ranks. "This way, Merkel herself can choose whom she eventually wants to hand the reins to."
Von der Leyen's appointment sends out a positive signal for the further integration of European armed forces. In a Spiegel interview in 2011, she said: "My aim is a united states of Europe, run along the lines of the federal states of Switzerland, Germany or the USA." The creation of a European army would be the logical conclusion of such a vision.
"We may find that she's more open to integration than her predecessor", said Jan Techau, director of Carnegie Europe. "The decision won't be entirely up to her, but we've seen in the past that Merkel is happy to be lead by a minister with a strong vision on such matters."
For the German army it will no doubt involve a culture change. Among the 200 officers in the armed forces there is only one woman. The armed forces commissioner of the German parliament, Hellmut Königshaus, welcomed the appointment. "Since 2001, military careers in the army have been open to women", he told Bild am Sonntag. "It's an expression of normality that we now have a woman at the top of the German defence ministry."
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