Hans Eichel
Encyclopedia
Hans Eichel German
politician (SPD
), was Minister of Finance from 1999-2005.
where he did his Abitur
in 1961. He then completed a degree in German
, philosophy
, political science
, history
and education
at the universities of Marburg
and Berlin
, graduating in 1970. After that, he worked as a teacher in a Kassel Gymnasium
, the Wilhelmsgymnasium.
of Kassel, initially gaining the office at the age of only 33. From 1991 to 1999, he was Premier (Ministerpräsident) of Hesse
in a coalition with the Greens. The coalition won again four years later and was the first red-green coalition to serve two consecutive terms. However, he unexpectedly lost the state elections in February 1999 to Roland Koch
's CDU and lost his office. However, in March Oskar Lafontaine
resigned as German finance minister and Eichel replaced him a month later. Eichel also served as President
of the Bundesrat
from November 1998 to April 1999. He has been a member of the Bundestag
since 2002, but has announced to retire in 2009.
At the beginning of his term of office, he tried to decrease the German federal deficit and wanted a balanced budget until 2006. Initially he was successful and earned the nickname Iron Hans or Iron Minister because of his ability to exercise strict budget discipline. Despite initial success, due to constraints by the cabinet and by the worsening economic situation after the short boom in 1999/2000, he had to abandon these plans. Moreover, during the 2002 election campaign when the SPD was suffering from bad opinion poll figures, it was speculated that Eichel could become Vice Chancellor under a new Chancellor Edmund Stoiber
. Schröder was not happy with this and though he was kept as minister in the cabinet, Eichel had fallen from grace. After the election Eichel had to recalculate the budget due to the deteriorating economy and found that he would have $18 billion less taxes than expected. The German budget deficit soared to 3.8%, the highest of all EU members (also above the 3% limit set by the EU's Stability Pact
). Eichel missed to push the deficit below 3% for the rest of his tennure until 2005.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
politician (SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), was Minister of Finance from 1999-2005.
Background
He was brought up in KasselKassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
where he did his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1961. He then completed a degree in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
at the universities of Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, graduating in 1970. After that, he worked as a teacher in a Kassel Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, the Wilhelmsgymnasium.
Political career
From 1975 to 1991, he was the mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Kassel, initially gaining the office at the age of only 33. From 1991 to 1999, he was Premier (Ministerpräsident) of Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
in a coalition with the Greens. The coalition won again four years later and was the first red-green coalition to serve two consecutive terms. However, he unexpectedly lost the state elections in February 1999 to Roland Koch
Roland Koch
Roland Koch is a German jurist and former conservative politician. He was Minister-President of Hesse from April 7, 1999, immediately becoming President of the Bundesrat, completing the term begun by his predecessor as Minister President, Hans Eichel, until his resignation on August 31, 2010...
's CDU and lost his office. However, in March Oskar Lafontaine
Oskar Lafontaine
Oskar Lafontaine is a German politician, former German finance minister, former chairman of the Social Democratic Party and former Minister-President of the state of Saarland. Since 2007 he was co-chairman of The Left...
resigned as German finance minister and Eichel replaced him a month later. Eichel also served as President
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...
of the Bundesrat
Bundesrat of Germany
The German Bundesrat is a legislative body that represents the sixteen Länder of Germany at the federal level...
from November 1998 to April 1999. He has been a member of the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
since 2002, but has announced to retire in 2009.
At the beginning of his term of office, he tried to decrease the German federal deficit and wanted a balanced budget until 2006. Initially he was successful and earned the nickname Iron Hans or Iron Minister because of his ability to exercise strict budget discipline. Despite initial success, due to constraints by the cabinet and by the worsening economic situation after the short boom in 1999/2000, he had to abandon these plans. Moreover, during the 2002 election campaign when the SPD was suffering from bad opinion poll figures, it was speculated that Eichel could become Vice Chancellor under a new Chancellor Edmund Stoiber
Edmund Stoiber
Edmund Rüdiger Stoiber is a German politician, former minister-president of the state of Bavaria and former chairman of the Christian Social Union...
. Schröder was not happy with this and though he was kept as minister in the cabinet, Eichel had fallen from grace. After the election Eichel had to recalculate the budget due to the deteriorating economy and found that he would have $18 billion less taxes than expected. The German budget deficit soared to 3.8%, the highest of all EU members (also above the 3% limit set by the EU's Stability Pact
Stability Pact
Stability Pact can mean# The Stability and Growth Pact of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union# The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe...
). Eichel missed to push the deficit below 3% for the rest of his tennure until 2005.