born: 1955
land list: Bavaria

Office in Berlin
T: +49 30 / 227 - 72027
F: +49 30 / 227 - 76028
claudia.roth@bundestag.de

Spokesperson on foreign cultural policy

I grew up in a liberal family in deepest, most conservative  Bavaria in the 1950s, whichwas quite unusual. Maybe this experience triggered my interest in politics when I was a teenager. However, I did not choose the direct path into politics: after finishing school, I started Theatre Studies in Munich and then worked as an artistic director in Dortmund. In 1982, my cultural and political interests merged when I became manager of the political rock band Ton Steine Scherben. 

I first came into contact with the Green Party during their election campaign tours. In 1985, I successfully applied as press spokesperson for the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag, despite being a newcomer to the party.

From 1989 until 1998, I was a member of the European Parliament for the Greens. In 1994, I was elected chairperson of the Green parliamentary group in the European Parliament, which I remained until 1998.

After the 1998 Bundestag elections, I ended my work as a MEP and became part of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag. In March 2001, I was elected federal chairperson of Alliance 90/The Greens and consequently gave up my office as a member of the Bundestag. In October 2002, I was once again elected to the Bundestag as Bavarian lead candidate and gave up my office as federal chairperson. From March 2003 until October 2004, I was the federal government's commissioner for human rights policy and humanitarian aid. In October 2004 and again in December 2006, I was re-elected federal chairperson of Alliance 90/ The Greens.

The commitment to human rights and equality and against discrimination and racism has been the focal point of my political work. Supporting cultural diversity and freedom of artistic expression is the guideline of my work in the field of cultural affairs.

In foreign policy, I am passionate about Turkey. I have been actively following the political development of this country for many years and its fight for democracy and human rights. I am convinced that Turkey belongs to Europe and in the European Union. 

Committees

• Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs (m.)
• Committee on Foreign Affairs (alt. m.)
• Sports Commitee (alt. m.)

Political CV

• Press spokesperson of the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag (1985-89)
• Member of the European Parliament (1989-98)
• Chairperson of the Green parliamentary group in the European Parliament (1994-98)
• Member of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag; Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid (1998-2001)
• Member of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag (again since 2002)
• Federal chairperson of Alliance 90/The Greens and spokesperson on gender policy (2001-2002)
• Federal chairperson of Alliance 90/The Greens (since October 2004)