Klaus Wowereit

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Klaus Wowereit

Klaus Wowereit (born October 1, 1953 in Berlin) is a German politician, member of the SPD (Social Democratic Party), and has been the mayor of Berlin since the 2001 state elections. His SPD-led coalition was re-elected comfortably in the 2006 elections. He is also sometimes mentioned as a possible SPD candidate for the Chancellorship of Germany (Kanzlerkandidat), though his chances have diminished after his decision to enter into a coalition with the socialist Left Party for a second term. Wowereit has publicly ruled out such a move, supporting Kurt Beck for the role of "Kanzlerkandidat".

1 Background
2 Political career
3 Sexual orientation
4 External links

[edit] Background

Klaus Wowereit with a drag queen at the 2001 Christopher Street Day in Berlin

Until 1973, Klaus Wowereit attended the Ulrich-von-Hutten-Oberschule in Berlin. Afterwards, he studied law at the Free University Berlin (State Exams, 1981 and 1984).

[edit] Political career

At the age of 31, he was the youngest city councilor of Berlin. From 1984-95 he was municipal councillor in the Tempelhof borough of Berlin, and, since December 1999, chairman of the SPD parliamentary club in the Berlin city parliament. Since June 2001 he has served as mayor ("governing burgomaster") of Berlin. Previously, the SPD had left the Grand coalition with the CDU and initiated new elections. After this election and following long-time negotiations, Wowereit finally started a coaliton with the PDS.

In the elections held on 17 September 2006, Wowereit's (SPD) finished as the strongest party. The 16th Abgeordnetenhaus re-elected Wowereit as Governing Mayor on 23 November 2006, in the second ballot wiht only a 75-74 majority. CDU, Free Democrats and the Green Party voted against him.

[edit] Sexual orientation

Wowereit is one of the most famous German politicians who has openly declared himself to be homosexual. In coming out, prior to the 2001 mayoral elections, he coined the now famous German phrase "Ich bin schwul, und das ist auch gut so." ("I am gay, and [being] that is a good thing" or "I am gay, and it's ok that way"). It is widely believed that his decision to come out in public was made because after his nomination as candidate to become the mayor of Berlin, Wowereit felt that the German tabloids were already "on the track". With his coming out Wowereit wanted to beat the tabloids to it and prevent them from writing wild, sensational and made-up stories about his gay life. Wowereit said those now famous words during a convention of the Berlin SPD. After he had ended, there was half a second of surprised silence, then spontaneous cheering and loud applause to support him.