Schloss Meseberg, 22.01.2014: Since 2007, the German government has used the palace, which lies some 60 km north of Berlin, for its retreats.
Cabinet ministers arrived at the retreat in the morning. Thomas de Maizière, Federal Interior Minister, is shown here.
At the start, the Chancellor laid out the focuses of the retreat. The plans of Federal Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel regarding the shift towards sustainable energy have her "full support", said the Chancellor.
The shift to put Germany's energy on a sustainable footing is critical for the viability of Germany's industry. This makes it the duty of the whole government and not just of any one minister, said the Chancellor.
The Cabinet ministers also wanted to use the retreat to decide which of the many projects laid out in the Coalition Agreement will be on the agenda for this year.
In Meseberg the ministers not only discussed politics; they also had the chance to get to know one another better without the usual time pressure.
They had the chance to chat, away from the pressures of everyday political business.
Meseberg, 23.01.2014: Day two kicked off with preparations for the traditional "family photo".
It didn't take long for all Cabinet members to find their places.
Talks continue. In the next room, Chancellor Angela Merkel, Federal Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble and Federal Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel prepare for the discussions.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier joined his Cabinet colleagues for the second day. The day before he was in Montreux for the conference on Syria.
At the final press statement Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel presented the government’s work programme.