New Education Minister Jan Riedel: A breath of fresh air for Saxony-Anhalt!

New Education Minister Jan Riedel: A breath of fresh air for Saxony-Anhalt!

In a surprising turn of events in Saxony-Anhalt state politics, it was announced on Sunday evening that Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff had fired Education Minister Eva Feußner. The reason for this decision is internal conflicts within the CDU parliamentary group, which became increasingly clear. Haseloff thanked Feußner for her long term in office, which began, among other things, as State Secretary in the Ministry of Education and culminated in 2021 with her appointment as Minister. Loud MDR However, the personnel was necessary to improve the unfortunate situation in education policy.

The decision didn't come out of the blue. A crisis meeting took place in the State Chancellery in June, during which controversial issues were discussed between representatives of the Ministry of Education and the CDU parliamentary group. In particular, Feußner's solo efforts, such as the abolition of ski courses in physical education classes and the controversial withdrawal of her plans to increase the minimum number of students, caused dissatisfaction. The problems with paying additional hours for teachers were also a strong argument against them.

A new man at the top

After Feußner's resignation, Jan Riedel was appointed as his successor. The 43-year-old was born in Borna and lives with his family in Halle-Dölau. Riedel has his political roots in the CDU and has been director of the Lyonel-Feininger-Gymnasium in Halle since 2016, a school known for its high quality. He not only brings practical school experience, but also a certain amount of political experience, as he was also elected chairman of the city council in Halle. Commenting on his appointment, Riedel said it was an honor to serve his country. His official presentation will take place on Wednesday in the State Chancellery, as the cabinet will be traveling in Brussels on the previous days World describes.

Reactions to Riedel's takeover are mixed. Mayor Alexander Vogt sees his change as both a loss for the city council and a gain for Halle, as a minister is now sitting at the cabinet table. SPD parliamentary group leader Katja Pähle emphasizes that Riedel is facing major challenges and hopes that his practical experience from school service will be fruitful. FDP parliamentary group leader Andreas Silbersack wishes Riedel much success, while AfD politician Hans-Thomas Tillschneider criticizes Feußner's dismissal as a desperate attempt at scapegoating.

The challenges of education policy

But what does Riedel’s appointment mean specifically for education policy in Saxony-Anhalt? The Left faction expressed doubts that he could sustainably change the fundamental problems that arose under Feußner. Green Party politician Susan Sziborra-Seidlitz accused him of no longer concealing the political failure while schools are loudly calling for help. It remains to be seen whether Riedel can breathe new life into education policy and whether he will overcome the division within the CDU parliamentary group.

The coming weeks will be crucial to see whether Jan Riedel, as education minister, can bring about the turnaround that many in the country expect. His previous experiences both as a teacher and as a school principal give hope that he can tackle the challenges ahead with a good hand.