Domestic

Ronald Rauhe becomes new sports state minister in the Federal Chancellery

Former canoe Olympic champion Ronald Rauhe takes over as state minister for sports in the Chancellery, as announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

3 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Ronald Rauhe becomes new sports state minister in the Federal Chancellery — Photo: Oliver Strubel · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Two-time Olympic canoe champion Ronald Rauhe will be the new state minister for sports in the Federal Chancellery. This appointment was announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Rauhe succeeds Christiane Schenderlein, who previously held the position.

Rauhe's transition from elite sports to top politics comes as a surprise to many, as he has no significant political experience. However, Merz expressed the desire to appoint a candidate from the sports sector to strengthen the connection between sports and politics.

Reactions to the appointment have been largely positive. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), the German Sports Aid Foundation, and Athletes Germany welcomed the decision and emphasized that having a former athlete in the ministry brings valuable perspective.

At the same time, expectations for Rauhe are high, as many stakeholders in the sports sector hope for personnel support from someone with direct experience in competitive sports. Officials expect Rauhe to introduce new ideas.

The move to the Chancellery comes at a time when sports in Germany face various challenges. It remains to be seen what influence Rauhe will have on the political landscape of sports.

The exact agenda and first steps of Ronald Rauhe as the new state minister for sports are still unknown. Observers are eagerly awaiting initial signals of his political work.

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