Daniel Wesener | |
|---|---|
 Wesener in 2019 | |
| Senator for Finance of Berlin | |
| In office 21 December 2021 – April 2023 | |
| Governing Mayor | Franziska Giffey |
| Preceded by | Matthias Kollatz |
| Member of theAbgeordnetenhaus of Berlin | |
| In office 18 September 2016 – 2 January 2022 | |
| Succeeded by | Catrin Wahlen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Daniel Wesener (1975-12-05)5 December 1975 (age 49) |
| Political party | Alliance 90/The Greens |
| Residence(s) | Kreuzberg,Berlin |
| Alma mater | Humboldt University of Berlin |
Daniel Wesener (born 5 December 1975) is a German politician of theAlliance 90/The Greens who served asState Minister (Senator) for Finance in thegovernment ofGoverning MayorFranziska Giffey of Berlin from December 2021 to April 2023. He was previously state chairman of the Greens from 2011 to 2017, and a member of theState Parliament of Berlin from 2016 to 2022.
Wesener was born and grew up inHamburg. After graduating from the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium and completing community service, he moved to Berlin in 1996. He studied history and art history at theHumboldt University of Berlin and at theCollege of William & Mary in the United States, and was a scholarship holder of the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst. He finished his studies without a degree and worked in the office ofChristian Ströbele, member of theBundestag for the Greens, from 2003 to 2011.[1][2]
Wesener has been a member of the Greens since 2001. In 2006, he was elected to the municipal council ofFriedrichshain-Kreuzberg, where he co-chaired the Greens group withAntje Kapek until 2011.[1][2]
In March 2011, Wesener was elected co-chairman of the Berlin Greens alongsideBettina Jarasch.[3] The two led the coalition negotiations with theSPD under Governing MayorKlaus Wowereit after the2011 Berlin state election.[4] Wesener and Jarasch were re-elected as co-leaders in March 2013, achieving an unusually broad support among delegates at the party conference. Wesener won 95.4% of votes, the largest majority for any leader up to that point.[5] He was again re-elected in 2015 with 92% of the vote.[6]
Wesener is considered a representative of the left-wing of the Greens. In 2013, he identified himself as alibertarian leftist, and stated that he had stayed distant from party politics for a long time. He was motivated to join the Greens during the "patriotism debate" in theCDU in 2001, fearing a "sociopolitical rollback".[7]
In October 2015, Wesener was nominated as part of a four-member team of lead candidates for the2016 Berlin state election alongside Bettina Jarasch, Antje Kapek, andRamona Pop.[8][9] Wesener was placed fourth on the state-wide party list, and was elected to the Abgeordnetenhaus. In the Greens faction, he was parliamentary managing officer and spokesman for culture, budget, and finance.[2]
Wesener was again fourth on the Greens list for the2021 Berlin state election,[10] and was re-elected.[11] He was subsequently appointed Senator for Finance in theGiffey senate, taking over the role from outgoing SPD senatorMatthias Kollatz.[2][12] In accordance with the principle of separation of mandates, Wesener resigned from the Abgeordnetenhaus at the beginning of 2022, and was succeeded by Catrin Wahlen.[13]
Wesener lives with his partnerDirk Behrendt inKreuzberg.