Die Rekrutierung des Regierungspersonals in der Ampel-Koalition: Zwischen Repräsentation, Loyalität und Kompetenz

Abstract

The new federal government of SPD, Greens, and FDP has set itself an ambitious agenda . For its implementation, government personnel is of considerable importance . This article examines how standard recruitment criteria for top executive positions - representation, loyalty, and competence - are reflected in the personnel profile of the “traffic-light” govern- ment . The analysis includes the 17 cabinet members, the 37 parliamentary state secretaries and state ministers as well as the 34 state secretaries . Overall, the personnel profile of the Scholz government is heavily partisan . Its outstanding feature is a high share of women in all office categories . At the same time, the recruitment patterns differ between the three coalition parties . The SPD’s governing personnel reflects not only the chancellor’s domi- nant role of in appointments but also the difficulties of achieving a balance between (gen- der) representation, loyalty, and competence in view of the inner-party power architecture . In the case of the Greens there is a clear emphasis on women’s representation and party loyalty, while the FDP’s government personnel is characterized by a combination of per- sonal loyalty at cabinet level and competence orientation in the other offices .