BERLIN, July 16 (Xinhua) -- German Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn will become defense minister succeeding the newly-elected EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, local media Rheinische Post reported on Tuesday.
The report cited government sources saying that Spahn will lead the German army Bundeswehr in the future.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel at noon said the position will be decided "very fast", after von der Leyen resigned as defense minister on the previous day.
Spahn was the youngest member of the German parliament, having been elected in 2002 at age 22. He assumed office as health minister on March 2018 in Merkel's government.
Annette Widmann-Mauz, Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration, is said to become the new minister of health, according to another German newspaper Bild.
