Dorothee Bär is the new Minister of Research, Technology and Space

News 2025.05.07

Dorothee Bär is the new Minister of Research, Technology and Space. Federal President Steinmeier appointed her as federal minister on 6 May 2025. Originally from Bamberg, she has been a member of the German Bundestag for the CSU since 2002. From 2018 to 2021, she was Minister of State at the Federal Chancellery and Federal Commissioner for Digitalization. Following this, she became Deputy Chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group for matters pertaining to family affairs and culture.

© | Bundesregierung/Guido Bergmann Dorothee Bär ist die neue Bundesministerin für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt.

© | Bundesregierung/Sandra Steins Dorothee Bär ist die neue Bundesministerin für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt.

© | Bundesregierung/Steffen Kugler Dorothee Bär ist die neue Bundesministerin für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt.

© | BMBF/Hans-Joachim Rickel Bundesministerin Dorothee Bär und die neue Parlamentarische Staatssekretärin Dr. Silke Launert sowie der neue Parlamentarische Staatssekretär Matthias Hauer

Cem Özdemir, the previous Federal Minister of Education and Research, handed over official duties to Federal Minister Dorothee Bär on 7 May 2025 in a ceremony held at the ministry in Berlin. She said: “Research and technology need to be given greater prominence in Germany in order to ensure growth, prosperity and a good future for our country. It is important and right that the topic of space is now again within the remit of the Research Ministry. As we have emphasized in the coalition agreement, aerospace activities play a strategic role for our reputation as a business location. We will therefore make huge investments in research and development.”

The definition of the portfolios covered by each ministry and thus also the renaming of the ministry as the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space was executed by organizational decree of the Federal Chancellor. The specific details of this transition will be arranged between the federal ministries involved.

Click here to read the biographies of Federal Minister Dorothee Bär, Parliamentary State Secretary Dr Silke Launert and Parliamentary State Secretary Matthias Hauer.