New German health, transport ministers sworn in six weeks late

Germany's new health and transport ministers were sworn in on Tuesday before the Bundestag, the country's lower house of parliament, six weeks after their appointment.

Carsten Linnemann and Steffen Bilger, both from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), took their oaths of office before Bundestag President Julia Klöckner during a brief ceremony as lawmakers returned to Berlin for the first sitting following the summer recess.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz reshuffled his top team in late July, with Linnemann taking over the health portfolio from Nina Warken, the new head of Merz's office.

Bilger succeeded Patrick Schnieder, whom Merz replaced as transport minister. The position had originally been earmarked for finance politician Fritz Güntzler, who surprisingly backed out of taking over the ministry at the last minute.

The botched reshuffle left some within the party furious. 

Linnemann and Bilger were formally appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the end of July and took up their duties immediately.

The oath of office, which is usually administered immediately after appointment, was delayed by several weeks due to the summer recess.