Just twelve years ago, Thorsten Frei was mayor of Donaueschingen. Now he is set to become the head of the German Chancellery, sitting at the heart of political power in the Federal Republic. How did this native of Bad Säckingen manage to catapult himself from local politics to the top echelons of government? How much influence does he wield over CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who values his loyalty and fighting spirit? And which issues might Frei champion on behalf of the southwest?

Thorsten Frei, Parliamentary Secretary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and future Head of the Chancellery, has fought his way to a top position in federal politics in a short space of time. The lawyer, who was born in Bad Säckingen in Baden, played a key role in shaping his party's parliamentary election campaign after the coalition government's withdrawal last autumn and is considered a close confidant of CDU leader Friedrich Merz. This documentary accompanies Thorsten Frei through an eventful and gruelling election campaign, from the Bundestag elections to the formation of the government. It focuses on Frei's influence on Merz and Frei's solutions for the south-west and provides insights behind the scenes of power in a politically exciting time.