Schnieder has already parted ways with several staff members, but his proposed successor, financial politician Güntzler, declined the position, prompting Merz to exclude Schnieder from the cabinet reshuffle announcement. Former Chancellery Minister Altmaier expressed his dismay on social media, while Bäumler, Vice Chairman of the Christian Democratic Workers’ Association, criticized Schnieder’s dismissal as arbitrary. Kauth, head of Schnieder’s CDU local association in Rhineland-Palatinate, condemned Merz’s approach as scandalous, asserting that governance should not resemble a feudal monarchy. This report was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on July 25, 2026.