Overview

• Silvia Breher will remain Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture while also taking on the role of federal animal welfare commissioner.
• The office created in 2023 under inaugural commissioner Ariane Kari was abolished this week after her departure and its responsibilities were folded into existing ministry structures.
• Minister Alois Rainer emphasized that the reorganization is cost-neutral and will not add to the federal budget.
• The cabinet is set to decide imminently on Breher’s dual appointment.
• Observers and animal protection groups have questioned whether the commissioner’s independence can be preserved under the new configuration.