Franz Müntefering
Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
In office 18 October 2008 – 13 November 2009
Preceded by	Kurt Beck
Succeeded by	Sigmar Gabriel
Vice-Chancellor of Germany
In office 22 November 2005 – 21 November 2007
Preceded by	Joschka Fischer
Succeeded by	Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
In office 22 November 2005 – 21 November 2007
Preceded by	Wolfgang Clement
Succeeded by	Olaf Scholz
Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
In office 21 March 2004 – 15 November 2005
Preceded by	Gerhard Schröder
Succeeded by	Matthias Platzeck
Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs
In office 27 October 1998 – 29 September 1999
Preceded by	Eduard Oswald
Succeeded by	Reinhard Klimmt
Personal details
Born	(1940-01-16) 16 January 1940 (age 72) Neheim, Germany
Nationality	German
Political party	SPD
Relations	Michelle Schumann
Occupation	Industrial manager, politician
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Franz Müntefering [fʁants ˈmʏntəˌfeʁɪŋ] ( listen) (born 16 January 1940) is a German politician and industrial manager. He was Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 18 October 2008 to 13 November 2009, a position he already held from 2004 to 2005. He was Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, as well as Vice-Chancellor, from 2005 to 2007.

Biography[link]

He was born in Neheim (now part of Arnsberg) and joined the SPD in 1966. He was a member of the Bundestag from 1975 to 1992 and again since 1998; from 1995 to 1998 he was a member of the Landtag (state parliament) of North Rhine-Westphalia.

He was Bundesgeschäftsführer (executive director) of the national SPD from 1995 to 1998, and after holding briefly the post of Minister of Transportation and Construction in the first cabinet of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, he was the first to hold the new post of SPD General Secretary from 1999 to 2002, and thereafter became leader of the SPD fraction in the Bundestag. In February 2004 he was designated to succeed Schröder as party chairman in March 2004.^[1]

In April 2005, Müntefering criticized the market economy of Germany and proposed more state involvement to promote economic justice. In this speech, he described private equity firms as "locusts". He subsequently published a "locust list" of companies, which he circulated within the SPD.^[2] This began a debate which has dominated the national news, being the subject of front-page articles and covered on the main television news broadcasts nearly every day. Müntefering's suggestions have been criticized by employers and many economists, but have met with popular support (up to 75% in some opinion polls).

On 31 October 2005, Müntefering's favoured candidate for Secretary General of the SPD, Kajo Wasserhövel, was defeated by the left-wing candidate Andrea Nahles in a preliminary internal election. Müntefering subsequently announced his intention to resign as SPD Chairman, and was succeeded by Matthias Platzeck at the next party convention on 15 November 2005. Platzeck resigned from this position in April 2006, and his successor was Kurt Beck.

Müntefering became Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and Vice-Chancellor in the cabinet of Angela Merkel on 22 November 2005. After two years in those posts, Müntefering's spokesman said on 13 November 2007 that Müntefering would resign from them later in the month. The decision was said to be based on "purely familial reasons".^[3] Later in the day, Müntefering said that he would leave his positions in the government on 21 November attributing his decision to the illness of his wife, Ankepetra, who was suffering from cancer.^[4] Upon leaving office on 21 November 2007, he was replaced as Vice-Chancellor by Frank-Walter Steinmeier and as Minister of Labor by Olaf Scholz, both of whom are also members of the SPD.^[5]

Müntefering's wife Ankepetra died on 31 July 2008. Following her death, Müntefering decided to return to active politics and was elected Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany on 18 October 2008.^[6] On 7 September 2008, Kurt Beck resigned as SPD Chairman, and Müntefering succeeded Beck in that post.^[6][7]

Following the SPD's defeat in the federal election of 2009, Müntefering resigned from the position of party chairman of the Social Democratic Party.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Biography by German Bundestag

v t e Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party of Germany SPD (1890–1933) Paul Singer / Alwin Gerisch August Bebel / Paul Singer August Bebel / Hugo Haase Hugo Haase / Friedrich Ebert Friedrich Ebert Friedrich Ebert / Philipp Scheidemann Otto Wels / Herman Müller Arthur Crispien / Otto Wels / Herman Müller Arthur Crispien / Otto Wels Arthur Crispien / Otto Wels / Hans Vogel SPD-in-exile (1933–1945) Otto Wels / Hans Vogel Hans Vogel SPD (since 1946) Kurt Schumacher Erich Ollenhauer Willy Brandt Hans-Jochen Vogel Björn Engholm Rudolf Scharping Oskar Lafontaine Gerhard Schröder Franz Müntefering Matthias Platzeck Kurt Beck Franz Müntefering Sigmar Gabriel

v t e Transport Ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany Eberhard Wildermuth Fritz Neumayer Victor-Emanuel Preusker Paul Lücke Ewald Bucher Bruno Heck Lauritz Lauritzen Hans-Jochen Vogel Karl Ravens Dieter Haack Oscar Schneider Gerda Hasselfeldt Irmgard Schwaetzer Klaus Töpfer Eduard Oswald Franz Müntefering Reinhard Klimmt Kurt Bodewig Manfred Stolpe Wolfgang Tiefensee Peter Ramsauer

Andrea Nahles
Nahles in 20 August 2008, in Kiel.
General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 November 2009
Preceded by	Hubertus Heil
Personal details
Born	(1970-06-20) 20 June 1970 (age 42) Mendig, Rhineland-Palatinate
Nationality	Germany
Political party	Social Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Marcus Frings
Alma mater	University of Bonn (M.A.)
Website	www.andrea-nahles.de

Andrea Maria Nahles (born 20 June 1970 in Mendig, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a German politician, a Bundestag representative for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and former SPD Youth leader. She is known within the party for criticising Gerhard Schröder's Agenda 2010 and is thus identified with the SPD's left wing.

Nahles was elected as the SPD's secretary general in November 2009 at the party congress held in Dresden.^[1][2] She succeeded Hubertus Heil in the position, and she will be working with new party chairman Sigmar Gabriel.

Education and career[link]

Nahles finished high school (Abitur) through a continuing education program. She obtained an MA after studying politics, philosophy and German studies at the University of Bonn, during which time she was an assistant to a member of parliament. Currently, she is pursuing a doctorate in Germanistics. The title of her dissertation is Walter Scotts Einfluss auf die Entwicklung des historischen Romans in Deutschland (Walter Scott's influence on the development of the historical novel in Germany).

Party[link]

In 1988, she joined the SPD. Shortly after, she was the youth representative for the constituency of Mayen-Koblenz. From 1993 to 1995 she was the youth representative for Rheinland-Pfalz. In 1995 she became the national youth representative, following Thomas Westphal, a post she held until 1999. Since 1997 she has been a member of the SPD executive.

In 2000, she was one of the founders of the "Forum Demokratische Linke 21" (Forum of the Democratic Left 21). Further, she is a member of IG Metall, Eurosolar and Attac.

On 31 October 2005, she was voted the SPD's general secretary, defeating Kajo Wasserhövel, the favoured man from the conservative side of the party. Wasserhövel's defeat prompted Franz Müntefering to declare that he no longer feels he has the confidence of the party and will step down. As a result, Nahles refused to accept the position of general secretary.

Personal life[link]

Nahles is married to Marcus Frings and has one daughter.^[3]

See also[link]

• Politics of Germany

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Andrea Nahles

• (German) Andrea Nahles (official website).

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (June 2011)

Miersch before the German parliamentary election, 2009

Matthias Miersch (born December 19, 1968 in Hanover) is a German politician and member of German social democratic party (SPD) in the German parliament Bundestag. His electoral district 42 covers parts of the region of Hanover. He focusses on environmental policy^[1] and is member of the board of advisors of the German Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, one of Europe's largest foundations that promotes innovative and exemplary environmental projects.^[2]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Matthias Miersch

• Website Matthias Miersch in German

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=2213
2. ^ http://www.dbu.de/1098.html