Frank-Walter Steinmeier
| Frank-Walter Steinmeier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 17 December 2013 | |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Guido Westerwelle |
| In office 22 November 2005 – 27 October 2009 | |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Joschka Fischer |
| Succeeded by | Guido Westerwelle |
| Vice Chancellor of Germany | |
| In office 21 November 2007 – 27 October 2009 | |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Franz Müntefering |
| Succeeded by | Guido Westerwelle |
| Chief of the Chancellery | |
| In office 31 July 1999 – 22 November 2005 | |
| Chancellor | Gerhard Schröder |
| Preceded by | Bodo Hombach |
| Succeeded by | Thomas de Maizière |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 January 1956 Detmold, West Germany (now Germany) |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | University of Giessen |
| Signature |  |
Frank-Walter Steinmeier [ˈfʁaŋkˌvaltɐ ˈʃtaɪ̯nˌmaɪ̯.ɐ] (born 5 January 1956) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) who has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2013. Steinmeier was a close aide of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, serving as Chief of Staff in the German Chancellery from 1999 to 2005. He subsequently served as Foreign Minister (2005–2009) and Vice Chancellor (2007–2009) in the grand coalition government of Angela Merkel. In 2008, he briefly served as acting chairman of his party.
Early life and education
Steinmeier was born in Detmold. Following his Abitur, he served his military service from 1974 until 1976. He then studied law and political science at the Justus-Liebig-Universität of Gießen. In 1982 he passed his first and 1986 his second state examination in law. He worked as scientific assistant to the professor of public law and political science at the Gießen university, until he obtained his doctorate of law in 1991.
Political career
Steinmeier became an adviser in 1991 for law of communication media and media guidelines in the state Chancellery of Lower Saxony in Hanover. In 1993, he became director of the personal office for the then Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Gerhard Schröder. In 1996, he became the Undersecretary of State and Director of the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony.
Steinmeier was appointed in November 1998 as undersecretary of state at the office of the chancellor following Schröder's election victory. He replaced Bodo Hombach as the head of the office of the chancellor in 1999.[1] During this period Steinmeier was also one of the advisors to Schröder.[1] Because of his effective management beyond the spotlight of politics, he was nicknamed Die Graue Effizienz (The Grey Efficiency) - a pun on Graue Eminenz, the German for éminence grise.
2005 elections – Foreign minister
On 22 November 2005, after the 2005 federal elections, Steinmeier became foreign minister in the Grand coalition cabinet led by Angela Merkel.[1] He was the first SPD Foreign Minister since Willy Brandt (1966–1969).
Following Franz Müntefering's departure from the cabinet on 21 November 2007, Steinmeier also filled the position of Vice-Chancellor.[2] In 2007, Steienmeier said he opposes European Commission proposals on unbundling the ownership of energy networks in the European Union.[3]
Russian opposition activists celebrated when Steinmeier lost elections in 2009, signaling their discontent with Steinmeier. Oleg Orlov, head of the Memorial human rights group, said that Steinmeier had prolonged Schröder's policies on Russia and that Germany's policies were "extremely bad for civil society, democracy and the country as a whole".[4]
In 2008, Steinmeier refused to meet Dalai Lama. Instead, Steinmeier issued the statement "it takes a lot of courage not to meet with the Dalai Lama these days", which the New York Times described as "extraordinarily cynical" and accused of Steinmeier of prioritizing money over human rights.[5][6][7]
Steinmeier served as acting chairman of the SPD from 7 September 2008 to 18 October 2008.
2009 elections – Opposition leader
On 7 September 2008, following the resignation of SPD chairman Kurt Beck, Steinmeier was chosen as the SPD candidate for chancellor for the 2009 federal elections and also designated as acting SPD Chairman, pending the return of Müntefering to that position.[8]
After the SPD's decisive defeat in the elections,[9] Steinmeier, who had been elected to represent Brandenburg an der Havel – Potsdam-Mittelmark I – Havelland III – Teltow-Fläming I, was elected as chairman of the SPD's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, and as such leader of the opposition.[10] After a hospitalization for donating a kidney to his wife in August 2010, Steinmeier returned to his office in October 2010.
2013 elections – Foreign minister again
After the elections of 2013 and the new grand coalition government, Steinmeier was appointed foreign minister for a second time in December 2013. He replaced Guido Westerwelle, who had signed the P5+1 accord with Iran in November 2013.
Personal life
Steinmeier is married and has one daughter. On 24 August 2010, due to an illness of his wife, he successfully donated a kidney to her.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bernstein, Richard (23 November 2005). "Merkel Takes Office in Germany and Announces Coalition Cabinet". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- ↑ Andreas Cremer and Brian Parkin, "Muentefering, Vice-Chancellor Under Merkel, Quits", Bloomberg, 13 November 2007.
- ↑ German minister opposes EU utility unbundling idea Reuters 20 January 2007
- ↑ German Vote Raises Hopes in Russia. Moscow Times. 29 September 2009.
- ↑ Steinmeier's bad example New York Times 20 May 2008
- ↑ German Minister Criticized for Planned Meeting with Dalai Lama. Spiegel Online International. 17 May 2008
- ↑ Dalai Lama `Disappointed' Germany's Steinmeier Won't Meet Him Bloomberg 9 May 2008
- ↑ "German SPD party reshuffles leadership, with eye on election", Xinhua, 7 September 2008.
- ↑ "Merkel's rival concedes defeat in German election". The Telegraph. 27 September 2009.
- ↑ "Steinmeier wird Oppositionsführer". Die Zeit. 27 September 2009.(German)
External links
Media related to Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Wikimedia Commons
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bodo Hombach |
Chief of the Chancellery 1999–2005 |
Succeeded by Thomas de Maizière |
| Minister of Special Affairs 1999–2005 | ||
| Preceded by Joschka Fischer |
Minister of Foreign Affairs 2005–2009 |
Succeeded by Guido Westerwelle |
| Preceded by Franz Müntefering |
Vice Chancellor of Germany 2007–2009 | |
| Preceded by Guido Westerwelle |
Minister of Foreign Affairs 2013–present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Kurt Beck |
Leader of the Social Democratic Party Acting 2008 |
Succeeded by Franz Müntefering |
| Preceded by Peter Struck |
Chairman of the SPD Parliamentary Group 2009–2013 |
Succeeded by Thomas Oppermann |
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