Germany's Merz could announce cabinet reshuffle on Friday, sources say

BERLIN, July 23 - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz could announce a cabinet reshuffle on Friday, triggered by the abrupt exit of party heavyweight Jens Spahn in a row over a surrogacy baby, three people told Reuters on Thursday.

Health Minister Nina Warken is likely to take over as head of Merz's chancellery, while her predecessor in that role - Thorsten Frei - would succeed Spahn as head of the CDU/CSU faction in parliament, the sources said.

Frei, a longtime Merz confidant, has been responsible for coordinating government business from the chancellery, a role that has drawn scrutiny during the coalition's rocky first year.

Carsten Linnemann, currently secretary general of Merz's CDU, could replace Warken as health minister, the sources said, confirming a report by mass-circulation newspaper Bild.

Merz could announce the changes on Friday, although discussions about the posts were still ongoing on Thursday evening.

"It's not a done deal yet," one of the sources said.

Spahn resigned on Saturday after having a baby born to a surrogate mother in the United States, a move at odds with his own party's opposition to surrogacy. Spahn had at one time been seen as a potential challenger to Merz.

Separately, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported that CDU lawmaker Philipp Amthor could also move to the chancellery as minister of state for the federal government's relations with the country's 16 states. REUTERS