Annette Widmann-Mauz

Annette Widmann-Mauz
Widmann-Mauz in 2020
Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration
In office
14 March 2018 – 8 December 2021
ChancellorAngela Merkel
Preceded byAydan Özoğuz
Succeeded byReem Alabali-Radovan
Parliamentary State Secretary for Health
In office
29 October 2009 – 14 March 2018
MinisterPhilipp Rösler
Daniel Bahr
Hermann Gröhe
Preceded byRolf Schwanitz
Succeeded byThomas Gebhart
Member of the Bundestag
for Tübingen
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 September 2002
Preceded byHerta Däubler-Gmelin
Member of the Bundestag
for Baden-Württemberg
In office
26 October 1998 – 22 September 2002
ConstituencyCDU List
Personal details
Born
Annette Widmann

(1966-06-13) 13 June 1966 (age 58)
Tübingen, West Germany
(now Germany)
Political partyChristian Democratic Union
Websitewww.widmann-mauz.de

Annette Widmann-Mauz (née Widmann; born 13 June 1966) is a German politician of the Christian Democrats who has been serving as a member of the German Bundestag (the German federal parliament) since 1998, representing the electoral district of Tübingen. In addition to her work in parliament, she served as Parliamentary State Secretary in Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet from 2009 until 2021.

Political career

Member of the Bundestag, 1998–present

In the 1998 federal election Widmann-Mauz was elected from the CDU Baden-Württemberg list, the second largest chapter of her party. Four years later, in 2002, she was elected directly for the constituency of Tübingen. She has won each re-election in this electoral district at all federal elections since.

In her first legislative term, Widmann-Mauz joined the Committee on Health. Between 2005 and 2009, she served as her parliamentary group's spokesperson on health policy.

Since 2003, Widmann-Mauz has been serving as deputy chairwoman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg, under the leadership of successive chairmen Erwin Teufel (2003-2005), Günther Oettinger (2005-2009), Stefan Mappus (2009-2011) and Thomas Strobl (since 2011).

Career in government, 2009–2021

In the negotiations to form a coalition government of the Christian Democrats (CDU together with the Bavarian CSU) and the Free Democrats (FDP) following the 2009 federal elections, Widmann-Mauz was part of the CDU/CSU delegation in the working group on health policy, led by Ursula von der Leyen and Philipp Rösler. On 29 October 2009 she became Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health.[1] In the second Merkel cabinet, she first served alongside Daniel Bahr under the leadership of Minister Philipp Rösler (2009-2011) and later under Bahr, who replaced Rösler in 2011.[2] In 2011, she participated in the first joint cabinet meeting between the German government and the State Council of the People's Republic of China in Berlin.

From 2012 to 2022, Widmann-Mauz was a member of the CDU's national board under the leadership of successive chairs Angela Merkel (2012-2018), Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (2018–2021) and Armin Laschet (2021–2022).[3] She co-chaired the CDU's national conventions in Karlsruhe (2015)[4] and Essen (2016).[5]

In the negotiations to form a third cabinet under Merkel following the 2013 federal elections, Widmann-Mauz led the working group on families, alongside Manuela Schwesig.[6] In the new coalition government, she again served as Parliamentary State Secretary for Health, this time under the leadership of Minister Hermann Gröhe.[7]

Since 2015, Widman-Mauz has been leading the Christian Democrats’ Women's Union.[8]

In the negotiations to form a fourth cabinet under Merkel following the 2017 federal elections, Widmann-Mauz led the working group on families, alongside Angelika Niebler and Katarina Barley. She was subsequently appointed Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration in the Federal Chancellery under Merkel.[9]

Following her party's defeat in the 2021 elections, Widmann-Mauz announced her candidacy as Vice President of the Bundestag; however, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group eventually nominated Yvonne Magwas for the position.[10][11]

In July 2024, Widmann-Mauz announced that she would not stand in the 2025 federal elections but instead resign from active politics by the end of the parliamentary term.[12]

Other activities

Corporate boards

  • Paracelsus-Kliniken Deutschland GmbH & Co. KGaA, Member of the supervisory board (2005-2013)
  • Hallesche Krankenversicherung, Member of the advisory board (2005-2013)

Non-profit organizations

Political positions

In 2014, Widmann-Mauz negotiated legislation requiring German companies to allot 30 percent of their non-executive board seats to women from 2016.[27]

In June 2017, Widmann-Mauz voted against Germany's introduction of same-sex marriage.[28]

Ahead of the Christian Democrats’ leadership election in 2018, Widmann-Mauz publicly endorsed Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to succeed Angela Merkel as the party's chair.[29]

In April 2020, Widmann-Mauz co-signed – alongside around 50 other members of her parliamentary group – a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen which called on the European Union to take in children who were living in migrant camps across Greece.[30][31]

References

  1. ^ "Widmann-Mauz wird Parlamentarische Staatssekretärin" (in German). Ärzte-Zeitung. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Widmann-Mauz hat neuen Chef" (in German). Schwarzwälder Bote. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  3. ^ Alisha Mendgen (22 January 2022), Frauenunionschefin Widmann-Mauz scheitert bei CDU-Präsidiumswahl RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland.
  4. ^ Protokoll: 28. Parteitag der CDU Deutschlands, 14. – 15. Dezember 2015, Karlsruhe Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU).
  5. ^ Protokoll: 29. Parteitag der CDU Deutschlands, 6. – 7. Dezember 2016, Essen Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
  6. ^ Erik Kirschbaum (November 18, 2013), German parties agree to introduce quota for women on boards Reuters.
  7. ^ "Annette Widmann-Mauz im neuen "alten" Amt als Parlamentarische Staatssekretärin vereidigt" (in German). Annette Widmann-Mauz. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  8. ^ Katrin Bennhold (September 13, 2017), In Angela Merkel, German Women Find Symbol, but Not Savior New York Times.
  9. ^ Paul Carrel (November 1, 2018), Merkel ally wants tough message on sex crimes for refugees Reuters.
  10. ^ Robert Birnbaum (October 25, 2021), Gerangel um Amt im Bundestagspräsidium: Die Union hat zu viele Bewerber für zu wenige Posten Der Tagesspiegel.
  11. ^ Robert Roßmann (October 25, 2021), CDU im Bundestagspräsidium: Und plötzlich taucht ein neuer Name auf Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  12. ^ Robert Roßmann (19 July 2024), CDU: Annette Widmann-Mauz, Chefin der Frauen-Union, macht Schluss Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  13. ^ Board of Trustees German Federal Cultural Foundation.
  14. ^ Board of Trustees Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
  15. ^ Commission on Charitable Affairs German Bishops' Conference (DBK).
  16. ^ Board of Trustees Jewish Museum Berlin.
  17. ^ Advisory Board Bündnis für Demokratie und Toleranz.
  18. ^ Board of Trustees Civis Media Prize.
  19. ^ Board Deutschlandstiftung Integration.
  20. ^ Board of Trustees[permanent dead link‍] German Football Association (DFB).
  21. ^ Board of Trustees Civis Media Prize.
  22. ^ Board Deutschlandstiftung Integration.
  23. ^ Board of Trustees[permanent dead link‍] German Football Association (DFB).
  24. ^ Board of Trustees Deutsche Hospiz- und PalliativStiftung.
  25. ^ Board of Trustees Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics.
  26. ^ Board of Trustees Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology.
  27. ^ Erik Kirschbaum (November 18, 2013), German parties agree to introduce quota for women on boards Reuters.
  28. ^ Diese Unionsabgeordneten stimmten für die Ehe für alle Die Welt, June 30, 2017.
  29. ^ Maria Stöhr (December 6, 2018), Kampf um die Merkel-Nachfolge: Wer wählt wen? Der Spiegel.
  30. ^ Charlotte Raskopf (April 6, 2020), 50 CDU-Abgeordnete fordern Aufnahme von Flüchtlingskindern aus griechischen Lagern Handelsblatt.
  31. ^ Robert Roßmann (April 6, 2020), Mehr als 50 Unionsabgeordnete fordern Aufnahme von Flüchtlingskindern Süddeutsche Zeitung.
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