born: 1966
married, two children
land list: Thuringia

Office in Berlin
T: +49 30 / 227 - 71928
F: +49 30 / 227 - 76275
katrin.goering-eckardt@bundestag.de

Vice-President of the German Bundestag

I have been a member of the Bundestag since 1998, initially as spokeswoman on health and pensions policy and parliamentary secretary of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group. After the parliamentary elections in 2002, I became parliamentary group chairwoman. In this 16th electoral term I am serving as vice-president of the Bundestag.

I commute regularly between Berlin and Thuringia, and the back and forth between the city lights and the quiet forest means continual contrasts – both personal and political.

A lot has to change if Germany wants to maintain its leading position, and I want the necessary changes to be fair. My concern is to establish an appropriate balance between solidarity and freedom, between personal and civic responsibility.

Another leitmotif of my politics is the idea that we have only borrowed the earth from our children. I am convinced that a child-friendly society is of benefit to everyone. Policy that paves the way towards such a society must encompass all areas: environmental and consumer protection, taxes and finances, education and social welfare, transport and infrastructure, democracy and integration.

Committees

• Committee on Labour and Social Affairs (alt. m.)
• Health Committee (alt. m.)

Political CV

• 1989 Founding member of Democracy Now and Alliance 90 in the GDR
• Until 1994 Assistant to the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Thuringian provincial legislature
• 1995–98 Spokesperson for the Thuringia branch of Alliance 90/The Greens
• 1996-98 Member of the federal executive committee
• 1995-98 Assistant to Matthias Berninger, member of the Bundestag
• Since 1998 Member of the Bundestag
• 1998-2002 Parliamentary secretary of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the German Bundestag
• October 2002 – September 2005 Chairperson of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the German Bundestag
• Since November 2002 Spokesperson for the Thuringia branch of Alliance 90/The Greens
• Since October 2005 Vice president of the German Bundestag