Andrea Ypsilanti
Encyclopedia
Andrea Ypsilanti is a German
politician
.
Landtag (parliament) and was chairperson of the Social Democratic Party
(SPD) of Hesse from March 2003 to January 2009.
In the Hesse state elections of 2008
, held on 27 January 2008, she was the SPD's candidate for the position of minister-president
(Ministerpräsident), or prime minister
, of Hesse. In that election, her party received 36.7 per cent of the vote - only 0.1 per cent less than the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) of incumbent Roland Koch
, which had ruled the state since 1999. Thus, the Hesse SPD came in second, but gained the same number of representatives in the Landtag as the CDU. Overall, the 2008 election led to a deadlock in the state parliament, because neither the CDU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), nor the SPD and the Green Party, had enough seats to constitute a parliamentary majority, thus enabling the formation of a coalition government. The reason for this was that the Die Linke
had entered the Landtag for the first time ever with 5.3% of the vote. Hessian constitution allows for continued operation of the previous government in case of a hung parliament
.
Before the 2008 election, Ypsilanti had promised on many occasions to never work together with the Left Party
. However, after a "grand coalition" with the CDU was ruled out, Ypsilanti ultimately decided to cooperate with the Left Party in order to be elected prime minister and overcome the deadlock. The first attempt was abandoned after Dagmar Metzger
, one of her own party's representatives in the Landtag, declared she would not vote for Ypsilanti.
A second attempt to elect Ypsilanti prime minister was scheduled for 4 November 2008. However, one day prior to the election, three other SPD representatives - Carmen Everts
, Silke Tesch
, and Jürgen Walter (vice chairman of the Hesse SPD) - also announced that they would vote against her, making it impossible for Ypsilanti to gain the needed majority. This, in turn, forced the dissolution of the Landtag and the scheduling of new elections for 18 January 2009. On 8 November 2008, Ypsilanti withdrew her candidacy in favor of Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel
, who became the SPD's new lead candidate (Spitzenkandidat).
Preliminary election results on 18 January 2009 indicated that the CDU and the (FDP) together won 64 seats in the parliament - five more than the 59 required - and thus could begin forming a governing coalition. At the same time the SPD lost 13 per cent of the vote compared to the previous election, falling to an historic low in Hesse and one of the worst showings by the party in a German state election. After the preliminary results were published, Ypsilanti announced her resignation as party chairperson.
In February 2010, Ypsilanti, together with Sven Giegold
of the Green Party, Katja Kipping
of the Left Party
, and others, founded the Institut Solidarische Moderne, a left-wing think tank.
as the daughter of a worker at the local Opel
factory. After finishing school she worked as a secretary
and then as a flight attendant
for Lufthansa
. From 1986 until 1992 she studied sociology
, political science
and education in Frankfurt
, graduating with a master's in sociology. She wrote her dissertation on the theme "Women and Power". After her divorce in 1992 she kept her Greek husband's last name Ypsilanti
. She lives with her partner in Frankfurt.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Political career
Ypsilanti is a member of the HessianHesse
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...
Landtag (parliament) and was chairperson of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
(SPD) of Hesse from March 2003 to January 2009.
In the Hesse state elections of 2008
Hesse state election, 2008
The state election to elect members of the Landtag of Hesse was held in the German state of Hesse on 27 January 2008.-Background and issues:...
, held on 27 January 2008, she was the SPD's candidate for the position of 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...
(Ministerpräsident), or prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, of Hesse. In that election, her party received 36.7 per cent of the vote - only 0.1 per cent less than 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) of incumbent 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...
, which had ruled the state since 1999. Thus, the Hesse SPD came in second, but gained the same number of representatives in the Landtag as the CDU. Overall, the 2008 election led to a deadlock in the state parliament, because neither the CDU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), nor the SPD and the Green Party, had enough seats to constitute a parliamentary majority, thus enabling the formation of a coalition government. The reason for this was that the Die Linke
The Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
had entered the Landtag for the first time ever with 5.3% of the vote. Hessian constitution allows for continued operation of the previous government in case of a hung parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
.
Before the 2008 election, Ypsilanti had promised on many occasions to never work together with the Left Party
The Left (Germany)
The Left , also commonly referred to as the Left Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Germany. The Left is the most left-wing party of the five represented in the Bundestag....
. However, after a "grand coalition" with the CDU was ruled out, Ypsilanti ultimately decided to cooperate with the Left Party in order to be elected prime minister and overcome the deadlock. The first attempt was abandoned after Dagmar Metzger
Dagmar Metzger
Dagmar Metzger is a German lawyer and politician, and a former member of the Parliament of Hesse for the Social Democratic Party of Germany ....
, one of her own party's representatives in the Landtag, declared she would not vote for Ypsilanti.
A second attempt to elect Ypsilanti prime minister was scheduled for 4 November 2008. However, one day prior to the election, three other SPD representatives - Carmen Everts
Carmen Everts
Carmen Everts is a German politician, political scientist and civil servant, a former member of the Parliament of Hesse for the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and an expert on political extremism...
, Silke Tesch
Silke Tesch
Silke Tesch is a German politician and a former member of the Parliament of Hesse for the Social Democratic Party of Germany ....
, and Jürgen Walter (vice chairman of the Hesse SPD) - also announced that they would vote against her, making it impossible for Ypsilanti to gain the needed majority. This, in turn, forced the dissolution of the Landtag and the scheduling of new elections for 18 January 2009. On 8 November 2008, Ypsilanti withdrew her candidacy in favor of Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel
Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel
Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel is a German politician of the SPD.He is currently the leader of the opposition SPD party bloc in the Hessian state parliament...
, who became the SPD's new lead candidate (Spitzenkandidat).
Preliminary election results on 18 January 2009 indicated that the CDU and the (FDP) together won 64 seats in the parliament - five more than the 59 required - and thus could begin forming a governing coalition. At the same time the SPD lost 13 per cent of the vote compared to the previous election, falling to an historic low in Hesse and one of the worst showings by the party in a German state election. After the preliminary results were published, Ypsilanti announced her resignation as party chairperson.
In February 2010, Ypsilanti, together with Sven Giegold
Sven Giegold
Sven Giegold is a German politician for the Alliance 90/The Greens party and one of the founding members of Attac Germany. He became a member of the Greens only in 2008, and was elected to the European Parliament in the 2009 elections....
of the Green Party, Katja Kipping
Katja Kipping
Katja Kipping is a German politician. The daughter of a teacher and an economist, she went to school from 1984 to 1996, then she made her Abitur at a gymnasium in Dresden until 1997...
of the Left Party
Left Party (Germany)
The Party of Democratic Socialism was a democratic socialist political party active in Germany from 1989 to 2007. It was the legal successor to the Socialist Unity Party , which ruled the German Democratic Republic until 1990. From 1990 through to 2005, the PDS had been seen as the left-wing...
, and others, founded the Institut Solidarische Moderne, a left-wing think tank.
Personal life
Ypsilanti grew up in RüsselsheimRüsselsheim
Rüsselsheim is the largest town in the Groß-Gerau district in the Rhein-Main region of Germany. It is one of seven special status towns in Hesse and is located on the Main, only a few kilometres from its mouth in Mainz. The suburbs of Bauschheim and Königstädten are included in Rüsselsheim...
as the daughter of a worker at the local Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
factory. After finishing school she worked as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
and then as a flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
for Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
. From 1986 until 1992 she studied sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, 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...
and education in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, graduating with a master's in sociology. She wrote her dissertation on the theme "Women and Power". After her divorce in 1992 she kept her Greek husband's last name Ypsilanti
Ypsilantis
The Ypsilantis were a Greek Phanariote family which grew into prominence and power in Constantinople during the last centuries of Ottoman Empire and gave several short-reign hospodars to the Danubian Principalities...
. She lives with her partner in Frankfurt.