German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer and Ronald Pofalla, member of the management board for infrastructure of German railways Deutsche Bahn attend an event on the first day that the railway connection is restored after damages due to the disaster in Heimersheim, at the railway station of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, November 8, 2021. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen 

Ronald Pofalla, member of the management board for infrastructure of German railways Deutsche Bahn attends an event on the first day that the railway connection is restored after damages due to the disaster in Heimersheim, at the railway station of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, November 8, 2021. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen 

Ronald Pofalla, German chairman of the Petersburg Dialogue and member of the management board for infrastructure of German railways Deutsche Bahn AG, reacts during a news conference in Koenigswinter, near Bonn, Germany, July 18, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay 

Ronald Pofalla, German chairman of the Petersburg Dialogue, shakes hands with with his Russian counterpart Viktor Alekseyevich Zubkov, CEO of Russian gas explorer Gazprom, following a news conference in Koenigswinter, near Bonn, Germany, July 18, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay 

Heads of the Coal Commission Matthias Platzeck, scientist Barbara Praetorius, Stanislaw Tillich and Ronald Pofalla pose for the media ahead their session which will present a report, for a shut down date for Germany's last coal-fired power plant in Berlin, Germany, January 25, 2019. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Heads of the Coal Commission Matthias Platzeck and Ronald Pofalla attend a session which will present a report, for a shut down date for Germany's last coal-fired power plant in Berlin, Germany, January 25, 2019. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Members of the Coal Commission scientist Barbara Praetorius, Matthias Platzeck, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier and Ronald Pofalla pose for the media ahead their session which will present a report, for a shut down date for Germany's last coal-fired power plant in Berlin, Germany, January 25, 2019. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Infrastructure Ronald Pofalla during the annual press conference in Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Traffic Berthold Huber, member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Infrastructure Ronald Pofalla, new Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bahn AG Bahn Richard Lutz during annual press conference in Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Infrastructure Ronald Pofalla during the annual press conference in Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Traffic Berthold Huber, member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Infrastructure Ronald Pofalla, new Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bahn AG Bahn Richard Lutz during the annual press conference in Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Traffic Berthold Huber, member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Infrastructure Ronald Pofalla, new Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bahn AG Bahn Richard Lutz during annual press conference in Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

Member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Traffic Berthold Huber, member of the Management Board of Deutsche Bahn AG for Infrastructure Ronald Pofalla, new Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bahn AG Bahn Richard Lutz during the annual press conference in Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (3rd L) talks to German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla and Social Democratic party (SPD) Chairman Sigmar Gabriel (L-R) after a meeting of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, to elect the Chancellor in Berlin December 17, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd L) talks to Horst Seehofer, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Social Democratic party (SPD) Chairman Sigmar Gabriel, Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU, German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla(L-R) after a meeting of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, to elect the Chancellor, in Berlin December 17, 2013. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Christian Social Union (CSU) Bundestag faction leader Gerda Hasselfeld, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Chancellor Angel Merkel, Thomas Oppermann of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) CDU parliamentary faction leader Volker Kauder, CDU secretary general Hermann Groehe, Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla, SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel and SPD parliamentary faction leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier (clockwise from top) talk informally after the coalition government agreement signing ceremony in Berlin December 16, 2013. Germany's Social Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining a "grand coalition" with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on Saturday, clearing the way for a new right-left government that will take office on Tuesday. Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), won the September 22 election but fell short of a majority. They needed a partner and spent much of the last three months negotiating a coalition deal with the arch rival SPD, which came a distant second. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel (2nd L) the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer (L) Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (3rd L) CDU parliamentary faction leader Volker Kauder (2nd R) and CDU secretary general Hermann Groehe attend coalition talks with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) at the CDU headquarters in Berlin, November 21, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) talks with Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla before a session of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin, November 18, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (2nd R) arrives for a session of the parliamentary intelligence control committee (PKGR) in Berlin November 6, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

The head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) and the head of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer (L) attend coalition talks with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Berlin November 5, 2013. Also pictured are Alexander Dobrindt (L) of the CSU and the CDU's Ronald Pofalla (4th R) Volker Kauder (3rd R) Julia Gloeckner (2nd R) and Ursula von der Leyen. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

Leader of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) Sigmar Gabriel (L) welcomes German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) at the SPD headquarters before coalition talks between Germany's conservative (CDU/CSU) parties and the SPD in Berlin October 30, 2013. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

Bavarian state Premier and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer (L) German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) attend the first round of coalition talks between Germany's conservative (CDU/CSU) parties and the SPD in Berlin October 23, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Sigmar Gabriel stands next to Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) prior to a constitutional meeting of the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, in Berlin October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Sigmar Gabriel talks with Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) prior to a constitutional meeting of the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, in Berlin October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel talks with Sigmar Gabriel (2nd R) leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) SPD parliamentary floor leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R) and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (2nd L) prior to a constitutional meeting of the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, in Berlin October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel talks with Sigmar Gabriel ( L) leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) SPD parliamentary floor leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier (2nd L) and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) prior to a constitutional meeting of the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, in Berlin October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel talks with Sigmar Gabriel (2nd L) leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) SPD parliamentary floor leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) prior to a constitutional meeting of the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, in Berlin October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)

Secretary general of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Alexander Dobrindt (L-R), German Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party secretary general Hermann Groehea, Northrhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Hannelore Kraft and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla stand on a balcony at the start preliminary talks between Germany's conservative (CDU/CSU) parties and the SPD at the Parliamentary Society in Berlin October 17, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) listens to Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla during a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin August 28, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) listens to Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla during a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin August 28, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

Germany's Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere (L) and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla attend a cabinet meeting in Berlin, August 14, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY BUSINESS) 

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd R), Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (L), Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich (2nd L) and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla talk before a cabinet meeting in Berlin, August 14, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) 

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (C), Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich (L) and Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla talk before a cabinet meeting in Berlin, August 14, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) 

Federal Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, July 31, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS HEADSHOT) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (first row, 3rd R) poses for pictures with representatives of industry and labour union organisations at the German government guesthouse Meseberg Palace in Meseberg, about 60 km (37 miles) north of Berlin, July 4, 2013. Pictured are (L-R): Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, IG Metall Labour Union IG Metall Berthold Huber, Chancellery State Minister Ronald Pofalla, ZDH labour association President Otto Kentzler, the head of Confederation of German Employers' Association (BDA) Dieter Hundt, Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) President Eric Schweitzer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the President of the Federation of German Industry (BDI) Ulrich Grillo and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (front C) poses for pictures with representatives of industry and labour union organisations at the German government guesthouse Meseberg Palace in Meseberg some 60 km (37 miles) north of Berlin, July 4, 2013. Pictured behind Merkel are (L-R): Chancellery State Minister Ronald Pofalla, Head of Confederation of German Employers' Association (BDA) Dieter Hundt, President of the Federation of German Industry (BDI) Ulrich Grillo and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (first row, 2nd R) poses for pictures with representatives of industry and labour union organisations at the German government guesthouse Meseberg Palace in Meseberg some 60 km (37 miles) north of Berlin, July 4, 2013. Pictured are (L-R): Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, IG Metall Labour Union IG Metall Berthold Huber, Chancellery State Minister Ronald Pofalla, ZDH Labour Association President Otto Kentzler, the Head of Confederation of German Employers' Association (BDA) Dieter Hundt, Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) President Eric Schweitzer, Merkel, the President of the Federation of German Industry (BDI) Ulrich Grillo and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (first row, 2nd R) poses for pictures with representatives of industry and labour union organisations at the German government guesthouse Meseberg Palace in Meseberg some 60 km (37 miles) north of Berlin, July 4, 2013. Pictured are (L-R): Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, IG Metall Labour Union IG Metall Berthold Huber, Chancellery State Minister Ronald Pofalla, ZDH Labour Association President Otto Kentzler, the Head of Confederation of German Employers' Association (BDA) Dieter Hundt, Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) President Eric Schweitzer, Merkel, the President of the Federation of German Industry (BDI) Ulrich Grillo and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives with a bunch of flowers to congratulate the head of the Federal Chancellery Ronald Pofalla with his birthday during the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin May 15, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) congratulates the head of the Federal Chancellery Ronald Pofalla (R) with his birthday as Economy Minister Philipp Roesler watches during the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin May 15, 2013. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (bottom R) congratulates new Education Minister Johanna Wanka after she swore the oath of office during a session of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament in Berlin February 21, 2013. Pictured in the background is Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere (L), Economy Minister Philipp Roesler (2nd L), Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner (3rd L) and Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS EDUCATION) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd R), former president of the BDI German industry association Hans-Peter Keitel (R), current BDI President Ulrich Grillo (L) and Federal Chancellery Ronald Pofalla (2nd L) arrive at a ceremonial act of the BDI in Berlin January 29, 2013. German industry is worried about a currency devalution race following recent decisions by the Bank of Japan to ease policy, BDI industry federation chief Ulrich Grillo said on Tuesday. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) 

Federal Chancellery Ronald Pofalla makes notes as German Chancellor Angela Merkel walks past, before the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin November 7, 2012. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel chats with Head of the Federal Chancellery Ronald Pofalla before the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin November 7, 2012. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Economy Minister and vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler (C), State Minister at the Foreign Ministry, Cornelia Pieper (L), and Head of the Federal Chancellery Ronald Pofalla attend a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, August 1, 2012. Roesler headed this week's cabinet meeting, deputizing for German Chancellor Angela Merkel who is currently on holiday. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd R) shakes hands with Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Torsten Albig (L) during a meeting with state prime ministers at the Chancellery in Berlin June 14, 2012. Pictured in the background are Baden-Wuerttemberg Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (R) and Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (2nd L) . REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) Hans Heinrich Driftmann (1st row L-R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Economy Minister Philipp Roesler, Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla and head of German Verdi labour union Frank Bsirske pose before talks with experts at the government guest house Schloss Meseberg, about 70 km (44 miles) north of Berlin June 5, 2012. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) Hans Heinrich Driftmann (1st row L-R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Economy Minister Philipp Roesler, Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla and head of German Verdi labour union Frank Bsirske pose before talks with experts at the government guest house Schloss Meseberg, about 70 km (44 miles) north of Berlin June 5, 2012. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) Hans Heinrich Driftmann (1st row L-R), German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Economy Minister Philipp Roesler, Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla and head of German Verdi labour union Frank Bsirske pose before talks with experts at the government guest house Schloss Meseberg, about 70 km (44 miles) north of Berlin June 5, 2012. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Economy Minister Philipp Roesler (L) and Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla arrive for a group picture before talks with other representatives at the government guest house Schloss Meseberg, about 70 km (44 miles) north of Berlin June 5, 2012. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (first row 2nd L) Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich (first row 2nd R) and German Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (first row L) pose with participants of a demography conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, April 24, 2012. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C), Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich (L) and German Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla pose for pictures before a demography conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, April 24, 2012. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Economic Cooperation and Development Minister Dirk Niebel (L) and Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (C) listen to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (R) walks past before the start of a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin 14, 2012. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (L) welcomes Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd R), as she arrives with Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (L to R), Economy Minister Philipp Roesler and undersecretary for Foreign affairs Michael Link at the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, January 25, 2012. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L-R) talks to party fellows Peter Altmaier and Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla as they attend a session of the lower house of parliament Bundestag in Berlin, January 19, 2012. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla, Lower Saxony's Prime Minister David Mc Allister, secretary general Hermann Groehe, German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) Angela Merkel, Schleswig-Holstein's CDU chairman Jost de Jaga and German Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen (L-R) are pictured during a party convention in Kiel on January 13, 2012. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German German Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (R) chats with Economy Minister and leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) Philipp Roesler during a session of the German lower house of parliament Bundestag in Berlin December 15, 2011. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

New head of Germany's federal intelligence service, Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) Gerhard Schindler (R) his predecessor Ernst Uhrlau and and Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (L) attend a hand-over of office ceremony in Berlin December 7, 2011. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY)

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel (first row R) and members of the government observe a minute of silence during a session of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament in Berlin, commemorating the victims of a neo-Nazi group that had been on a nationwide ten-year killing spree, November 22, 2011. Pictured are Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and Economy Minister Philipp Roesler (first row L-R), state secretaries Thomas Kossendey of the defense ministry, Gerd Mueller and Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla (2nd row L-R), and immigration commissioner Maria Boehmer (back row). REUTERS/Thomas Peter (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS) 

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (R) chats with Chancellery Minister Ronald Pofalla before the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin November 9, 2011. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz (GERMANY - Tags: POLITICS)