Overview

• A ministry spokesman said officials are optimistic about presenting the successor, though the timing still depends on ongoing talks.
• Vice-government spokesman Sebastian Hille said the personnel decision of this scale was made within the governing coalition.
• Richard Lutz was told in mid-August to leave early and will remain in office until a successor is formally appointed.
• Patrick Schnieder has described Deutsche Bahn’s situation as dramatic, with persistent delays and reliability shortfalls.
• The search has been run through a formal process led by headhunters for the supervisory board, reflecting tighter political oversight of the state operator.