Overview

• He started the holiday after attending Berlin’s Christopher Street Day to maintain a Senate tradition of scheduling breaks around major public events.
• He will spend the 12 days by the sea enjoying downtime away from Berlin’s political life.
• Despite seeking to switch off, he admits the smartphone will remain within reach during the trip.
• State secretaries will step in for him at scheduled political appointments to maintain government operations.
• He said the time away is an opportunity to focus on his family and children.