New minister Chancellor hopeful

Ursula von der Leyen.

She already combines the decidedly Herculean roles of Cabinet minister and mother of her seven mainly school-aged children, but this week, Ursula von der Leyen will begin being groomed as the most likely politician to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel.

A conviction conservative, Merkel's protege and Labour Minister will take on the job of Defence Minister in Germany's new grand coalition Government, which will be sworn in this week.

The surprise appointment not only marks the first time a woman has taken on a defence portfolio in Germany - it also gives von der Leyen one of the most senior Cabinet posts and, by definition, a place at the front of the queue for the Chancellor's job in the Christian Democrats.

As Germany's Der Spiegel magazine put it yesterday: "Ursula von der Leyen is going to be Defence Minister. Within her own conservative party, she can at last assume the role of crown princess."

Merkel has indicated that she will stand down after her current third term and if she does not change her mind, von der Leyen could run for the Chancellor's job in the run-up to Germany's next scheduled general election in 2017.

More pro-Europe than Merkel, von der Leyen is on record as saying she would like to see a "united states of Europe - run along the lines of the federal states of Switzerland, Germany or the US".

She is a medical doctor from a wealthy family and her doctor husband, Heiko, spends much of his time looking after their seven children, a role she thinks more men should follow. As Minister for Labour and Social Affairs she fought and won a long battle to introduce better paternity benefits.

- Independent