Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel
Encyclopedia
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
. He lost his bid for the office of minister-president
of Hesse
in the January 2009 Hessian state election
, where he had challenged incumbent Roland Koch
(CDU).
in Oberstdorf
. However, he grew up in the heart of Hesse
in the city of Gießen
. He briefly studied Agrarian Science at Justus-Liebig-University Gießen
, after which he changed to Political Science. He graduated with a Master's degree
in 1997, he took various minor political positions. He is married and has three children.
. He gained a seat in 2003, and has been a member of the Hessian Landtag ever since. He was re-elected in the 2008 Landtag election
and in the 2009 special election
; however he was elected as part of the party list and not on a direct mandate, as he lost his local race to the CDU candidate.
In late 2008, following the Hessian political crisis and Andrea Ypsilanti
's resignation, he became the SPD's party leader in Hesse and the SPD candidate for minister-president of Hesse. Due to the poor faring by the SPD in the 2009 special election, he lost position to the CDU's Roland Koch
. He has been party leader of the opposition SPD since January 29, 2009.
Schäfer-Gümbel has openly supported the trotskyist Hands Off Venezuela
campaign, and has spoken highly of Venezuelan premier Hugo Chavez
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
.
He is currently the leader of the opposition SPD party bloc in the Hessian state parliament
Landtag of Hesse
The Landtag of Hesse is the state Parliament of the German State of Hesse. It convenes in Wiesbaden and currently consists of 118 members of five Parties. Currently there is coalition between the CDU and the FDP....
. He lost his bid for the office 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...
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 the January 2009 Hessian state election
Hesse state election, 2009
Early state elections for the Landtag of Hesse were held in Hesse on 18 January 2009. The reason for the early elections was the inability of the parties to form a government after the inconclusive 2008 Hessian election.-Issues and background:...
, where he had challenged 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...
(CDU).
Life
Schäfer-Gümbel was born to a West German soldier stationed in the far south of BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps.At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide...
. However, he grew up in the heart 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 the city of Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
. He briefly studied Agrarian Science at Justus-Liebig-University Gießen
University of Giessen
The University of Giessen is officially called the Justus Liebig University Giessen after its most famous faculty member, Justus von Liebig, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser.-History:The University of Gießen is among the oldest institutions of...
, after which he changed to Political Science. He graduated with a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1997, he took various minor political positions. He is married and has three children.
Career
Schäfer-Gümbel was involved with the Social and Youth department of Gießen from the late 1990s. He became a local adviser to the SPD, a party which he had joined at the age of 17, and was also a local delegate of the SPD in the local government (Kreistag) in Gießen. He quickly moved up the ranks in the Hessian SPD party machine, and was a candidate on the SPD party list during the 2003 Landtag electionHesse state election, 2003
The Hessen state election, 2003, was conducted on February 2, 2003, to elect members to the Landtag of Hessen.-Results:-Post-election:Roland Koch remained Prime Minister of a CDU government...
. He gained a seat in 2003, and has been a member of the Hessian Landtag ever since. He was re-elected in the 2008 Landtag election
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:...
and in the 2009 special election
Hesse state election, 2009
Early state elections for the Landtag of Hesse were held in Hesse on 18 January 2009. The reason for the early elections was the inability of the parties to form a government after the inconclusive 2008 Hessian election.-Issues and background:...
; however he was elected as part of the party list and not on a direct mandate, as he lost his local race to the CDU candidate.
In late 2008, following the Hessian political crisis and Andrea Ypsilanti
Andrea Ypsilanti
Andrea Ypsilanti is a German politician.-Political career:Ypsilanti is a member of the Hessian Landtag and was chairperson of the Social Democratic Party 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...
's resignation, he became the SPD's party leader in Hesse and the SPD candidate for minister-president of Hesse. Due to the poor faring by the SPD in the 2009 special election, he lost position to the CDU's 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...
. He has been party leader of the opposition SPD since January 29, 2009.
Schäfer-Gümbel has openly supported the trotskyist Hands Off Venezuela
Hands Off Venezuela
Hands Off Venezuela is a political lobby group based in the United Kingdom and with branches in many other countries. The campaign was established in December 2002, following the Venezuelan coup attempt of 2002, with the aim of increasing public and political awareness in the UK and elsewhere of...
campaign, and has spoken highly of Venezuelan premier Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
.