Hannelore Kraft
Encyclopedia
Hannelore Kraft is a German politician. She is the leader of the Social Democratic Party
in North Rhine-Westphalia
and the current Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia. Kraft is the first woman to fill this post since it was created in 1946. She has served on the SPD's federal executive since November 2009, and is one of the four federal deputy chairmen.
On 1 November 2010 she took over the presidency of the German Bundesrat
from Jens Böhrnsen
. She is the first female office holder.
in 1982, and studied at King's College London
in 1986 and 1987. She completed her studies in Duisburg in 1989.
From 1989 until 2001, she was a consultant and project manager at the Centre for Innovation and Technology (ZENIT GmbH) in Mülheim an der Ruhr, and was head of the local European Info Centre.
In 1994, Kraft joined the SPD, and on 2 June 2000 was elected to the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. Initially representing electoral district 74 (Mülheim II-Essen
VII), she switched to electoral district 64 (Mülheim I) in 2005.
On 24 April 2001, she replaced Detlev Samland as Minister for Federal and European Affairs, and then under Minister-President
Peer Steinbrück
, served from 12 November 2002 until 31 May 2005 as Minister for Science and Research.
After the SPD lost the 2005 state election
in North Rhine-Westphalia, Kraft was elected leader of the SPD's parliamentary group with 95.7% of the votes, hence becoming the Opposition Leader in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2007, she was elected chairman of the SPD in Northrhine-Westphalia.
On 13 November 2009, Kraft was elected as one of the four vice chairmen of the federal SPD under chairman Sigmar Gabriel
, receiving the highest overall vote.
A party congress in February 2010 affirmed that she was the SPD's candidate for Minister-President
at the May 2010 state election
.
The state election on 9 May 2010 resulted in a near tie with the governing CDU at 67 seats, and with Kraft's preferred red-green coalition one seat short of an overall majority. After many parallel negotiations an various coalitions, Kraft was elected Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia on 14 July 2010 on the second ballot with a sufficient plurality of votes, coming from the Social Democrats and Alliance 90/The Greens, while the Left Party abstained. Kraft formed a minority government with ministers of Social Democrats and Greens.
In October 2010, Kraft was elected President of the Bundesrat. She assumed office on 1 November 2010.
Hannelore Kraft is married and has one son. She was formerly a Catholic but later converted to Protestantism
, joining the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
, a member church of the Evangelical Church in Germany
.
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
and the current Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia. Kraft is the first woman to fill this post since it was created in 1946. She has served on the SPD's federal executive since November 2009, and is one of the four federal deputy chairmen.
On 1 November 2010 she took over the presidency of the German Bundesrat
President of the German Bundesrat
In Germany, the President of the Bundesrat or President of the Federal Council is the chairperson or speaker of the Bundesrat . The presidency of the Bundesrat rotates among the heads of government of each of the states on an annual basis...
from Jens Böhrnsen
Jens Böhrnsen
Jens Böhrnsen is a German politician of the SPD. Since 2005, he has served as the President of the Senate and Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, that is, the head of government of the city-state of Bremen...
. She is the first female office holder.
Biography
Kraft graduated in 1980, and first trained as a bank clerk. She commenced her studies in economics at Comprehensive University of DuisburgUniversity of Duisburg-Essen
The University Duisburg-Essen is a public university in Duisburg and Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and a member of the new founded University Alliance Metropolis Ruhr....
in 1982, and studied at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
in 1986 and 1987. She completed her studies in Duisburg in 1989.
From 1989 until 2001, she was a consultant and project manager at the Centre for Innovation and Technology (ZENIT GmbH) in Mülheim an der Ruhr, and was head of the local European Info Centre.
In 1994, Kraft joined the SPD, and on 2 June 2000 was elected to the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. Initially representing electoral district 74 (Mülheim II-Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
VII), she switched to electoral district 64 (Mülheim I) in 2005.
On 24 April 2001, she replaced Detlev Samland as Minister for Federal and European Affairs, and then under 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...
Peer Steinbrück
Peer Steinbrück
Peer Steinbrück is a German social democratic politician. From 2005 to 2009 he served as German Federal Minister of Finance in the cabinet of Angela Merkel.- Early political career, Minister President :...
, served from 12 November 2002 until 31 May 2005 as Minister for Science and Research.
After the SPD lost the 2005 state election
North Rhine-Westphalia state election, 2005
The North Rhine-Westphalia state election, 2005, was conducted on May 22, 2005, to elect members to the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany...
in North Rhine-Westphalia, Kraft was elected leader of the SPD's parliamentary group with 95.7% of the votes, hence becoming the Opposition Leader in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2007, she was elected chairman of the SPD in Northrhine-Westphalia.
On 13 November 2009, Kraft was elected as one of the four vice chairmen of the federal SPD under chairman Sigmar Gabriel
Sigmar Gabriel
Sigmar Gabriel is a German politician currently chairing the Social Democratic Party of Germany .On 15 December 1999, after the resignation of Gerhard Glogowski, who had succeeded Gerhard Schröder in office, Gabriel became Minister-President of Lower Saxony and served until 4 March 2003...
, receiving the highest overall vote.
A party congress in February 2010 affirmed that she was the SPD's candidate for 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...
at the May 2010 state election
North Rhine-Westphalia state election, 2010
The North Rhine-Westphalia state election, 2010, was an election held on May 9, 2010, to elect members to the Landtag of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The incumbent government at the election was the Christian Democrat –FDP administration of Minister-President Jürgen Rüttgers...
.
The state election on 9 May 2010 resulted in a near tie with the governing CDU at 67 seats, and with Kraft's preferred red-green coalition one seat short of an overall majority. After many parallel negotiations an various coalitions, Kraft was elected Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia on 14 July 2010 on the second ballot with a sufficient plurality of votes, coming from the Social Democrats and Alliance 90/The Greens, while the Left Party abstained. Kraft formed a minority government with ministers of Social Democrats and Greens.
In October 2010, Kraft was elected President of the Bundesrat. She assumed office on 1 November 2010.
Hannelore Kraft is married and has one son. She was formerly a Catholic but later converted to Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, joining the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
Evangelical Church in the Rhineland is a united Protestant church body in parts of the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Hesse . This is actually the area covered by the former Prussian Rhine Province until 1920. It is the most important Protestant...
, a member church of the Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
.