Germany's Merz 'aware' of criticism over gender imbalance in Cabinet
"You can assume that we are aware of the composition," deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille said in Berlin. "But some things are the way they are."
Asked whether the chancellor has less confidence in women, Hille said: "I don't think so," and added that "the chancellor enjoys working with women."
Merz has a wife and several daughters, the spokesman pointed out, adding that "there are numerous women working in the federal government."
Eight of the 18 seats in the Cabinet are taken by women, four of which are from Merz's centre-left coalition partner, the Social Democrats.
In Merz's office, the Chancellery, there are also more men than women in senior positions.
Meanwhile, the coalition committee - the second key decision-making body in the new government - is to consist of ten men and one woman.
Merz's party colleague Karin Prien sees a definite need for change.
"As minister for women, who is also responsible for equality, I can tell you that parity must remain a goal," Prien told dpa.
For Prien, from Merz's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), this means that "we must obviously strive for and fight for more positions such as party chair, secretary general and similar positions so that we are then also represented accordingly in these bodies."
Women must be louder in government and in the party and stand up for their positions, Prien said.
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