Ruprecht Polenz

Ruprecht Polenz
Member of the Bundestag
In office
1994 – 2013
Personal details
Born (1946-05-26) 26 May 1946
Großpostwitz
Citizenship German
Nationality Germany
Political party CDU
Alma mater University of Münster

Ruprecht Polenz (May 26, 1946 in Denkwitz near Bautzen) is a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) political party.

Personal life

Polenz is married and has four children.

Political career

Member of the German Bundestag

Polenz became senior member of the CDU party on April 10, 2000 under the presidency of Angela Merkel.

Polenz served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the lower house of the German Parliament, the Bundestag between 2005 and 2013. He was secretary-general of the CDU from April to November 2000. He was also a member of the German delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and a substitute member of the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs. Additionally, he chaired the Bundestag’s Parliamentary Control Panel under Section 41 (5) of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act and was a substitute member of the Joint Committee of the Bundestag and Bundesrat under Article 53 a of the Basic Law.

Life after politics

Following his retirement from active politics, Polenz became President of the German Association for East European Studies (DGO).[1] Between 2013 and 2014, he was a Senior Fellow at the Istanbul Policy Center of Sabancı University.

In November 2015, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier named Polenz Special Envoy for the German-Namibian talks on a joint declaration addressing the colonial-era crackdown against Hereros in Namibia.[2][3] Polenz has stated that he would consider the killings genocide.[4]

Political positions

In 2008, Polenz and four other legislators issued a committee report which concluded that Germany’s under-representation in international organizations at the time was because the country lacked a personnel policy and coherent strategy for promoting itself internationally.[5]

Contrary to his own party, Polenz has been one of Germany’s most outspoken proponents of an accession of Turkey to the European Union.[6]

In 2011, Polenz was among the first to speak out publicly against the decision of Quadriga, a German nonprofit group, to honor Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia; the group later canceled its annual prize ceremony following further public criticism of Putin’s stance on democracy and human rights in Russia.[7]

Other activities (selection)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ruprecht Polenz German Association for East European Studies (DGO).
  2. ↑ Foreign Minister Steinmeier on relations with Namibia Federal Foreign Office, press release of November 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ Theresa Krinninger (November 4, 2015), Polenz: "Ich habe Erfahrung mit heikler Außenpolitik" Deutsche Welle.
  4. ↑ Onishi, Norimitsu (December 29, 2016). "Germany Grapples With Its African Genocide". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2016. “It will be described as genocide,” Ruprecht Polenz, Germany’s special envoy to the talks, said of a joint statement that the two governments are preparing.
  5. ↑ Judy Dempsey (November 11, 2009), Letter from Europe: Germany Holds Back on Top European Roles International Herald Tribune.
  6. ↑ Ruprecht Polenz: Better for Both of Them – Turkey Ought to Be in the EU Körber-Stiftung, Hamburg.
  7. ↑ Nicholas Kulish (July 16, 2011), German Group That Cited Putin as ‘Role Model’ Cancels Prize After Outcry New York Times.
  8. ↑ Ruprecht Polenz Center for Global Politics (CGP), Free University of Berlin.
  9. ↑ Ruprecht Polenz Center for Global Politics (CGP), Free University of Berlin.
  10. ↑ Board of Trustees Deutsche Initiative für den Nahen Osten (DINO).
  11. ↑ Board of Trustees Green Helmets.
  12. ↑ Members Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
  13. ↑ Board members European Stability Initiative.
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