Günther Oettinger
Encyclopedia
Günther Hermann Oettinger (born 15 October 1953 in Stuttgart
) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU). He became European Commissioner for Energy
in the European Commission
on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party
(EPP). Oettinger was Minister-President
of the state
of Baden-Württemberg
between 2005 and 2010 and chairman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg
between 2005 and 2010.
, the youth organisation of the CDU
; he was chairman of the organization in Baden-Württemberg from 1983 to 1989. From 2001 to 2005 he was chairman of the CDU party in Nordwürttemberg (North Württemberg). He was also chairman of the federal committee for media politics of the CDU.
Oettinger has been a member of the State parliament (Landtag) of Baden-Württemberg since 1984. From 1991 to 2005 he was leader of the CDU parliamentary party.
In October 2004 the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg Erwin Teufel
announced that he was to step down as Minister President and Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg CDU, effective 19 April 2005. Oettinger was voted his successor after internal party pre-elections.
On 29 April 2005, Oettinger became Chairman of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg, eight days after succeeding Teufel as Minister President. In 2006 the CDU held onto their majority in the Baden-Württemberg state election; Oettinger was re-elected Minister President. Oettinger heads a coalition regional government made up of the CDU and FDP.
On 24 October 2009, Angela Merkel's new centre-right government chose Oettinger to be a Commissioner in the European Commission taking office on 10 February 2010. The same day he ceased to be Minister President of Baden-Württemberg.
In a leaked diplomatic cable from the United States embassy cable entitled "Lame Duck German Governor Kicked Upstairs as New Energy Commissioner in Brussels," Deputy Chief of Mission in Germany, Greg Delawie notes that
"Chancellor Angela Merkel nominated Baden-Wuerttemberg (BW) Minister President Guenther Oettinger as EU Energy Commissioner primarily to remove an unloved lame duck from an important CDU bastion."
Before going on to claim
"Oettinger is noted for a lackluster public speaking style, and some commentators have asserted that Merkel, who has often stood out at EU meetings, wanted to
appoint a German Commissioner who would not outshine her."
. Three days later, Oettinger's wife was reported to have already been in a relationship for 9 months with Otmar Westerfellhaus, a senior manager at Stuttgart
carmaker Porsche
.
Since separating from his wife, Oettinger's liaison with Friederike Beyer, a PR event organiser from Hamburg
, who is 25 years his junior, has been covered widely by the German press.
, who was forced to resign in 1978 after allegations surfaced about his role as a navy lawyer and judge in the Second World War, and who died on 1 April at the age of 93.
In his speech at the memorial service in Freiburg
, Oettinger described Filbinger as "not a National-Socialist" but as "an opponent of the Nazi regime", who "could flee the constraints of the regime as little as million others". Referring to Filbinger's role as a navy judge, Oettinger pointed out that no-one lost his life because of a verdict by Filbinger and that he did not wield the power and freedom suggested by his critics. Oettinger was subsequently accused by politicians and the media of playing down the significance of the Nazi dictatorship. German Chancellor Angela Merkel
reacted with public admonishment, stating that she would have preferred it for "the critical questions" to be raised. Oettinger was also criticized by opposition politicians and the Jewish Council
; some of his critics even called for his dismissal.
Oettinger at first defended his speech, adding that he regretted any "misunderstanding" about his eulogy although he did not withdraw his comments on Filbinger's past. However, on 16 April he distanced himself from his comments.
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
(CDU). He became European Commissioner for Energy
European Commissioner for Energy
The Commissioner for Energy is a member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Günther Oettinger .-Responsibilities:The Commissioner holds responsibility for the European Union's energy policy as well as nuclear issues . It was previously a backwater in the Commission but has now...
in the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
(EPP). Oettinger was Minister-President
Minister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
of the state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
between 2005 and 2010 and chairman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg
CDU Baden-Württemberg
The CDU Baden-Württemberg is the biggest political party in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and the second largest state party of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany with 77,800 members...
between 2005 and 2010.
Political career
Oettinger embarked on his political career as a member of the Junge UnionJunge Union
The Junge Union Deutschlands or JU is the jointyouth organisation of the two conservative German political parties CDU and CSU...
, the youth organisation of the CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
; he was chairman of the organization in Baden-Württemberg from 1983 to 1989. From 2001 to 2005 he was chairman of the CDU party in Nordwürttemberg (North Württemberg). He was also chairman of the federal committee for media politics of the CDU.
Oettinger has been a member of the State parliament (Landtag) of Baden-Württemberg since 1984. From 1991 to 2005 he was leader of the CDU parliamentary party.
In October 2004 the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg Erwin Teufel
Erwin Teufel
Erwin Teufel is a German politician of the CDU. Teufel was the leader of the CDU parliamentary faction in the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg from 1978 to 1991. He was minister-president of Baden-Württemberg and chairman of the CDU state party group from 1991 to 2005, serving as President...
announced that he was to step down as Minister President and Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg CDU, effective 19 April 2005. Oettinger was voted his successor after internal party pre-elections.
On 29 April 2005, Oettinger became Chairman of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg, eight days after succeeding Teufel as Minister President. In 2006 the CDU held onto their majority in the Baden-Württemberg state election; Oettinger was re-elected Minister President. Oettinger heads a coalition regional government made up of the CDU and FDP.
On 24 October 2009, Angela Merkel's new centre-right government chose Oettinger to be a Commissioner in the European Commission taking office on 10 February 2010. The same day he ceased to be Minister President of Baden-Württemberg.
In a leaked diplomatic cable from the United States embassy cable entitled "Lame Duck German Governor Kicked Upstairs as New Energy Commissioner in Brussels," Deputy Chief of Mission in Germany, Greg Delawie notes that
"Chancellor Angela Merkel nominated Baden-Wuerttemberg (BW) Minister President Guenther Oettinger as EU Energy Commissioner primarily to remove an unloved lame duck from an important CDU bastion."
Before going on to claim
"Oettinger is noted for a lackluster public speaking style, and some commentators have asserted that Merkel, who has often stood out at EU meetings, wanted to
appoint a German Commissioner who would not outshine her."
Personal life
Oettinger married his wife Inken in 1994. The couple has one son. On 9 December 2007, Oettinger and Inken announced that they had separated. This was the first time that a Minister-President had announced a marriage breakdown during his term of office, unprecedented in the conservative and religious State of Baden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. Three days later, Oettinger's wife was reported to have already been in a relationship for 9 months with Otmar Westerfellhaus, a senior manager at Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
carmaker Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
.
Since separating from his wife, Oettinger's liaison with Friederike Beyer, a PR event organiser from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, who is 25 years his junior, has been covered widely by the German press.
Eulogy controversy
On 11 April 2007, Oettinger held a controversial eulogy on one of his predecessors as Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, Hans FilbingerHans Filbinger
Hans Karl Filbinger was a conservative German politician and a leading member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union in the 1960s and 1970s, serving as the first chairman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg and vice chairman of the federal CDU...
, who was forced to resign in 1978 after allegations surfaced about his role as a navy lawyer and judge in the Second World War, and who died on 1 April at the age of 93.
In his speech at the memorial service in Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
, Oettinger described Filbinger as "not a National-Socialist" but as "an opponent of the Nazi regime", who "could flee the constraints of the regime as little as million others". Referring to Filbinger's role as a navy judge, Oettinger pointed out that no-one lost his life because of a verdict by Filbinger and that he did not wield the power and freedom suggested by his critics. Oettinger was subsequently accused by politicians and the media of playing down the significance of the Nazi dictatorship. German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
reacted with public admonishment, stating that she would have preferred it for "the critical questions" to be raised. Oettinger was also criticized by opposition politicians and the Jewish Council
Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
The Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland is a federation of German Jews organizing many Jewish organisations in Germany. It was founded on July 19, 1950, as a response to the increasing isolation of German Jews by the international Jewish community and increasing interest in Jewish affairs by the ...
; some of his critics even called for his dismissal.
Oettinger at first defended his speech, adding that he regretted any "misunderstanding" about his eulogy although he did not withdraw his comments on Filbinger's past. However, on 16 April he distanced himself from his comments.