born: 1955
land list: Berlin

Office in Berlin
T: +49 30 / 227 - 71913
F: +49 30 / 227 - 76913
renate.kuenast@bundestag.de

Chairperson of the Parliamentary group

I was born on 15 December 1955 in Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westfalia (NRW). After qualifying as a social worker in Düsseldorf, I worked as a prison social worker with drug addicts in Berlin-Tegel from 1977 to 1979. Later I studied law and passed the second state examination in 1985.

I joined West Berlin's Alternative List in 1979, and worked in varying functions for the party from that time. During Berlin's red-green coalition in 1989/90 I was the leader of the Greens in the senate.

When the red-green coalition ended I continued working in the senate for Alliance 90/The Greens, until 1993 as their leader and afterwards as spokeswoman on legal affairs.

From June 2000 to March 2001 I was the federal chairwoman of Alliance 90/The Greens. From January 2001 to October 2005 I was federal minister of consumer protection, food and agriculture. You can find a record of my work as minister here: more ...

I have been the leader of the parliamentary group of Alliance 90/The Greens since October 2005.

Political CV

• Member of West Berlin's Alternative List 1979, thereafter various party functions.

• Leader of the Greens in the red-green coalition in the Berlin senate

• Alliance 90/The Greens senator in Berlin, until 1993 as leader, thereafter spokesperson on legal affairs

• Chairperson, federal executive committee, Alliance 90/The Greens (2000-2001)

• Federal minister of consumer protection, food and agriculture (2001-05)

• Leader of the parliamentary group (since 10/2005)