German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is her Social Democratic Party's top candidate in this fall's regional election in Hesse.
However, she is also staying on in the federal Cabinet, making her the first federal minister in a decade to split time between running a ministry and hitting the regional campaign trail.
This has raised concerns about the potential of her not being able to execute her duties effectively.
Asked about the rules that govern the combining of campaigning and holding office, a spokesperson for her ministry said that it is a democratic matter and common practice for people to run for democratic elections from offices, just as incumbent chancellors and prime ministers do.
Faeser has stated that she is "running to win" and to become the first female regional leader of Hesse.
The move has led to criticism within the coalition government due to the potential for conflicts of interest to arise.
However, those in support of Faeser argue that she can continue to carry out the duties of her office effectively while campaigning.