Franz Müntefering
Franz Müntefering (born January 16, 1940) is a German politician. He used to be Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
Müntefering was born in Neheim-Hüsten near Arnsberg. After his school time he was taught to became an industrial salesman. He joined the Social Democratic Party in 1966. He was member of the Bundestag (Federal Parliament) from 1975 to 1992 and again from 1998 to 2013.
1998 he was a member of the Landtag (state parliament) of North Rhine-Westphalia. From 1992 to 1995 he was Secretary of Social affairs in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. From 1995 to 2001 he was Party Chairman in that state.
From 1995 to 1998 he was Bundesgeschäftsführer (federal executive director) of the SPD. In 1998 he became Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure of Germany under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. From 1999 to 2002 he was Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party. From 2002 to 2005 he was fraction leader in the Bundestag.
He was Party Chairman of the SPD from 2004 to 2005. From 2005 to 2007 he was Secretary for Working and Social Affairs and Vice Chancellor of Germany under Angela Merkel in her Grand Coaltion. In 2007 he gave up all his jobs - excepted the mandate in Federal Parliament - to care for his ill wife. After the death of his wife he returned.
From 2008 to 2009 he was Party Chairman of the SPD again.
Other websites
- Biography by German Bundestag Archived 2009-09-30 at the Wayback Machine