Katherina Reiche: Rise of the CDU star politician in the Merz cabinet!

Katherina Reiche: Rise of the CDU star politician in the Merz cabinet!

The CDU politician Katherina Reiche has been causing a stir in political Berlin since her appointment by Chancellor Friedrich Merz in May 2025. She has taken over the office of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, succeeding Robert Habeck. Her career reflects an impressive commitment that began in her youth.

Born on July 16, 1973 in Luckenwalde, Reiche graduated from high school in 1992 and then began studying chemistry at the University of Potsdam, graduating in 1997 with a degree in chemistry. Her political involvement began when she joined the Junge Union in 1992 and founded the Ring of Christian Democratic Students (RCDS), where she took on leadership responsibility early on. She rose through the ranks over the years and was elected to parliament in 1998, making her the youngest CDU member of the German Bundestag, an achievement that saw her fill various positions until 2015. Among other things, she was deputy chairwoman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group from 2005 to 2009 and served in important ministries. Watson reports.

Paving stones in her career

After her time in the Bundestag, Reiche moved into business, where she worked as managing director of the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU) and later as CEO of Westenergie. Critics accuse it of being too close to energy-intensive industries, which could pose a possible conflict of interest. Nevertheless, she has also campaigned for the environmental policy agenda, for example as chairwoman of the Federal Government's National Hydrogen Council since June 2020. Her support for nuclear energy and the extension of the lifespan of nuclear power plants are also part of her political agenda, as is the demand for Gorleben as a location for a final storage facility and the support of genetic engineering in agriculture.

On a personal level, Katherina Reiche has been married to the CDU politician Sven Petke since 2003 and has three children with him, but now lives in separate circumstances. She has also been in a relationship with former Federal Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg since April 2025, which has generated additional media attention.

Commitment to equality

At a time when the proportion of women in the German Bundestag is stagnating at around a third, Katherina Reiche is an example of a strong female presence in politics. Her career shows that women can be promoted in leadership positions through targeted activities and networks such as the RCDS. According to an analysis by the Federal Foundation for Equality, the proportion of women in politics in Germany lags behind international standards, which underlines the importance of role models like Reiche. The Federal Foundation for Equality highlights the relevance of female engagement and calls for a change in representation.

As a minister, Katherina Reiche earns a basic salary of 15,547.87 euros per month, which adds up to around 16,950 euros gross. With her combination of political experience and economic understanding, she could make a decisive contribution to proactively addressing the challenges of economic transition and energy policy in Germany.

Reiche's career is an impressive example of how women in politics can not only gain visibility, but also actively shape what is important for many aspiring politicians and voters. Wikipedia added.