Horst Seehofer is new Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community

type:
News

, Topic:
Ministry

, Date:
15 March 2018

Farewell ceremony for Dr Thomas de Maizière and handover to new Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community Horst Seehofer.

Source:
Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community

Thomas de Maizière und Horst Seehofer (Larger version opens in new window)



Source: Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community


Thomas de Maizière and Horst Seehofer at the handover ceremony

In a handover ceremony the staff of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community bid farewell to Dr Thomas de Maizière and welcomed his successor, Horst Seehofer. The day before, following his appointment by the Federal President, the new Federal Minister of the Interior was already sworn in at the German Bundestag.

Thomas de Maizière started his second term as Federal Minister of the Interior on 17 December 2013. Before that, he had been Federal Minister of the Interior for the first time from October 2009 to March 2011, followed by a period as Federal Minister of Defence. His term in office was marked by many major challenges, among them the refugee crisis and several terrorist situations. Other crucial tasks related to cyber security and modernizing the administration. During his term in office the ministry also moved its headquarters to a new building within Berlin.

Thomas de Maizière (Larger version opens in new window)



Source: Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community


Thomas de Maizière giving his farewell speech

During the handover ceremony, de Maizière thanked the ministry’s staff for the years they had worked together, stressing that he bid farewell with a good feeling. “I am proud and grateful that I have been able to serve our country for twelve years as Federal Minister”, he said.

Former Bavarian minister president Horst Seehofer is now the new Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community. This is not his first office at federal level. From 1992 to 1998 he served as Federal Minister for Health and from 2005 to 2008 as Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. During the handover Mr Seehofer thanked Dr de Maizière for his work. “One can say without exaggeration that Thomas de Maizière has rendered outstanding service to the Federal Republic of Germany”, Seehofer said in his speech, in which he also explicitly welcomed the new staff members who will now move from other ministries to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Mr Seehofer also stressed that he looks forward to the many and varied challenges waiting for him in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community.