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===Interim chairman of the Social Democratic Party===
===Interim chairman of the Social Democratic Party===
On 7 September 2008, SPD Chairman [[Kurt Beck]] resigned at a party meeting in [[Werder]] and Steinmeier was chosen as the SPD candidate for Chancellor in the 2009 election. Steinmeier was also designated as interim SPD Chairman, although Müntefering was expected to return to that position.<ref>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/08/content_9840654.htm "German SPD party reshuffles leadership, with eye on election"], Xinhua, September 7, 2008.</ref>
On 7 September 2008, SPD Chairman [[Kurt Beck]] resigned at a party meeting in [[Werder]] and Steinmeier was chosen as the SPD candidate for Chancellor in the 2009 election. Steinmeier was also designated as interim SPD Chairman, although Müntefering was expected to return to that position.<ref>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/08/content_9840654.htm "German SPD party reshuffles leadership, with eye on election"], Xinhua, September 7, 2008.</ref>

==Kremlin==
Steinmeier is well known for his pro-Russian attitude and his political career is closely linked to Gerhard Schröder, the Chancellor who went to work at [[Nord Stream]].<ref name="vanherpen"/> Steienmeir has been described as the architect of Schröder's pro-Russia and anti-US course.<ref name="evro">[http://www.eurointelligence.com/Article3.1018+M5a7d2ea342d.0.html Anti-Americanism in Europe] EVRO intelligence 21.03.2007</ref> Steienmeier opposes European Commission proposals on unbundling the ownership of energy networks in the European Union.<ref>[http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL2056183720070120 German minister opposes EU utility unbundling idea] Reuters Jan 20, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.robertamsterdam.com/2008/04/steinmeier_undermines_medvedev.htm Steinmeier Undermines Medvedev] Robert Amsterdam on April 5, 2008</ref> A foreign policy expert noted that Steinmeier is "obsessed with Russia’s security interests, which he seems to talk about more than Germany’s own."<ref name="evro"/>

Russian opposition activists celebrated the result of the 2009 German elections. Oleg Orlov, head of the [[Memorial (society)|Memorial human rights group]], said that Steinmeier had prolonged Schröder's policies on Russia, which he said were "extremely bad for civil society, democracy and the country as a whole".<ref name="mitrokhin">[http://www.moscowtimes.ru/news/article/384405.html?bcsi_scan_3824BCB8D8969319=VysKnwvdmKseymeU5/v6mRAAAAArVj4G&bcsi_scan_filename=384405.html German Vote Raises Hopes in Russia] Moscow Times 29 September 2009</ref>

==Controversies==
As a mediator in the Abkhazia conflict, Steienmeier pleased Russia by accepting the continuation of Russia's "peacekeeping" military forces in the breakaway province of Georgia and did not even mention the territorial integrity of Georgia. Furthermore, "It was no surprise that after the [[Russian invasion of Georgia]] Steinmeier called for Vernunft, ‘reason’, which meant: no sanctions."<ref name="vanherpen">[http://www.cicerofoundation.org/lectures/Marcel_H_Van_Herpen_Russia_Georgia_and_the_European_Union.pdf Russia, Georgia and the European Union - The Creeping Finlandization of Europe] Marcel H. Van Herpen September 2008</ref>

Steinmeier has said that the West "gone to the limit in its relations with Russia" when it recognized Kosovo's independence.<ref name="russiaslawyer">[http://www.robertamsterdam.com/2008/04/berlin_representing_russia.htm Berlin Turns Into Russia’s Lawyer] ([http://www.robertamsterdam.com/deutsch/2008/04/berlin_macht_sich_zum_anwalt_r.html Berlin macht sich zum Anwalt Russlands]) Financial Times Deutschland 3.4.08</ref>

Steinmeier refused to meet [[Dalai Lama]]. Instead, Steienmeier issued the statement "it takes a lot of courage not to meet with the Dalai Lama these days", which the New York Times described as "extraordinary cynical". The newspaper stated "it is astounding that Steinmeier so brazenly and destructively broke ranks with the head of his own government on a matter as fundamental as human rights. The signal to Beijing, and to any other regime that routinely violates human rights, is that Germany will do anything to make money in China".<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/opinion/20iht-edgermany.4.13058304.html Steinmeier's bad example] New York Times May 20, 2008</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 21:50, 10 October 2009

Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Vice Chancellor of Germany
Assumed office
21 November 2007
Preceded byFranz Müntefering
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany
Assumed office
22 November 2005
Preceded byJoschka Fischer
Personal details
Born (1956-01-05) 5 January 1956 (age 68)
Detmold, West Germany
Political partySocial Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
Alma materUniversity of Giessen

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (born 5 January 1956) is a German politician who has served as the Foreign Minister of Germany since 22 November 2005 in the grand coalition of Angela Merkel. On 21 November 2007, he replaced Franz Müntefering as Vice Chancellor. In the first half of 2007 he was also President of the European Council. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), and on 7 September 2008, Steinmeier was designated as the candidate of the SPD for the office of Chancellor of Germany in the 2009 federal election. After exit polls showed a victory for the Christian Democrats and the Liberals, Steinmeier conceded defeat[2] and announced his intention to become head of the opposition in the Bundestag[3].

Early life

Steinmeier was born in Detmold. Following his Abitur, he served his military service from 1974 until 1976. He then studied law and political science at the Justus-Liebig-Universität of Gießen. In 1982 he passed his first and 1986 his second state exam in law. He worked as scientific assistant to the professor of public law and political science at the Gießen university, until he obtained his doctorate of law in 1991.

Steinmeier is married and has one daughter.

Political career

Steinmeier became an adviser in 1991 for law of communication media and media guidelines in the state Chancellery of Lower Saxony in Hanover. In 1993, he became director of the personal office for the then Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Gerhard Schröder. In 1996, he became the Undersecretary of State and Director of the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony.

Steinmeier was appointed in November 1998 as Undersecretary of State in the Office of the Chancellor following Schröder's election victory. He replaced Bodo Hombach as the head of the Office of the Chancellor in 1999. Because of his effective management beyond the spotlight of politics, he was nick-named Die Graue Effizienz (The Grey Efficiency) - a play on Graue Eminenz, the German for éminence grise

In government

On 22 November 2005 he became the new Foreign Minister of Germany in the coalition cabinet formed by Angela Merkel. Steinmeier is the first SPD Foreign Minister since Willy Brandt (1966-1969).

Following Franz Müntefering's announcement that he would leave the government on 21 November 2007, Steinmeier was announced as Müntefering's replacement as Vice-Chancellor.[4]

Interim chairman of the Social Democratic Party

On 7 September 2008, SPD Chairman Kurt Beck resigned at a party meeting in Werder and Steinmeier was chosen as the SPD candidate for Chancellor in the 2009 election. Steinmeier was also designated as interim SPD Chairman, although Müntefering was expected to return to that position.[5]

Kremlin

Steinmeier is well known for his pro-Russian attitude and his political career is closely linked to Gerhard Schröder, the Chancellor who went to work at Nord Stream.[6] Steienmeir has been described as the architect of Schröder's pro-Russia and anti-US course.[7] Steienmeier opposes European Commission proposals on unbundling the ownership of energy networks in the European Union.[8][9] A foreign policy expert noted that Steinmeier is "obsessed with Russia’s security interests, which he seems to talk about more than Germany’s own."[7]

Russian opposition activists celebrated the result of the 2009 German elections. Oleg Orlov, head of the Memorial human rights group, said that Steinmeier had prolonged Schröder's policies on Russia, which he said were "extremely bad for civil society, democracy and the country as a whole".[10]

Controversies

As a mediator in the Abkhazia conflict, Steienmeier pleased Russia by accepting the continuation of Russia's "peacekeeping" military forces in the breakaway province of Georgia and did not even mention the territorial integrity of Georgia. Furthermore, "It was no surprise that after the Russian invasion of Georgia Steinmeier called for Vernunft, ‘reason’, which meant: no sanctions."[6]

Steinmeier has said that the West "gone to the limit in its relations with Russia" when it recognized Kosovo's independence.[11]

Steinmeier refused to meet Dalai Lama. Instead, Steienmeier issued the statement "it takes a lot of courage not to meet with the Dalai Lama these days", which the New York Times described as "extraordinary cynical". The newspaper stated "it is astounding that Steinmeier so brazenly and destructively broke ranks with the head of his own government on a matter as fundamental as human rights. The signal to Beijing, and to any other regime that routinely violates human rights, is that Germany will do anything to make money in China".[12]

References

  1. ^ Thüringer Allgemeine, retrieved 2008-12-06.
  2. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6237210/Merkels-rival-concedes-defeat-in-German-election.html
  3. ^ http://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2009-09/spd-steinmeier-opposition
  4. ^ Andreas Cremer and Brian Parkin, "Muentefering, Vice-Chancellor Under Merkel, Quits", Bloomberg.com, November 13, 2007.
  5. ^ "German SPD party reshuffles leadership, with eye on election", Xinhua, September 7, 2008.
  6. ^ a b Russia, Georgia and the European Union - The Creeping Finlandization of Europe Marcel H. Van Herpen September 2008
  7. ^ a b Anti-Americanism in Europe EVRO intelligence 21.03.2007
  8. ^ German minister opposes EU utility unbundling idea Reuters Jan 20, 2007
  9. ^ Steinmeier Undermines Medvedev Robert Amsterdam on April 5, 2008
  10. ^ German Vote Raises Hopes in Russia Moscow Times 29 September 2009
  11. ^ Berlin Turns Into Russia’s Lawyer (Berlin macht sich zum Anwalt Russlands) Financial Times Deutschland 3.4.08
  12. ^ Steinmeier's bad example New York Times May 20, 2008

External links

Media related to Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices

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Preceded by President of the Council of the European Union
First-Half 2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Foreign Minister of Germany
2005–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Chief of the Chancellery
1999–2005 		Succeeded by

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