Torsten Albig | |
|---|---|
 Albig in 2021, out of office | |
| Minister-President ofSchleswig-Holstein | |
| In office 12 June 2012 – 28 June 2017 | |
| Deputy | Robert Habeck |
| Preceded by | Peter Harry Carstensen |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Günther |
| Lord Mayor ofKiel | |
| In office 11 June 2009 – 6 May 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Angelika Volquartz |
| Succeeded by | Susanne Gaschke |
| Member of theLandtag of Schleswig-Holstein | |
| In office 5 June 2012 – 6 June 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Ralf Stegner |
| Succeeded by | Tobias von Pein |
| Constituency | Social Democratic List |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1963-05-25)25 May 1963 (age 62) |
| Nationality |  Germany |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party (SPD) (1982–) |
| Profession | Civil servant |
Torsten Albig (born 25 May 1963) is a German politician from theSocial Democratic Party of Germany. From 2012 until 2017 he served as the 13thMinister President ofSchleswig-Holstein. Since 2023, he has been the head of external affairs atPhilip Morris International's German subsidiary.
Albig grew up inOstholstein andBielefeld. After graduating from high school in 1982, he first studied history and social sciences at theUniversity of Bielefeld but later changed to law.
From 2009 to 2012 Albig was the Lord Mayor ofKiel, the state capital of Schleswig-Holstein.
Torsten Albig was appointed candidate forMinister-President, representing his party, the SPD, in 2011 after a member's decision. At the election in 2012, the SPD achieved 30.4% of the votes, not enough to beat the rulingCDU that got 30.8% of the popular vote. Both the SPD and CDU achieved 22 seats each, and the election result made it possible for Albig to form a coalition government with the participation of theGreen Party and theSSW, which is a regional party representing theDanish andFrisian minorities. The three parties had a narrow majority in theLandtag of Schleswig-Holstein with 35 of 69 seats. At the appointment in parliament though, he got 37 of 69 possible votes. The new-formed government of Schleswig-Holstein consisting of the SPD, The Green Party and the SSW had never been seen before in German history.[1]
Albig succeededPeter Harry Carstensen in the position as Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein.
Albig served as an SPD delegate to theFederal Convention for the purpose of electing thePresident of Germany in 2012[2] and 2017. Together withDoris Ahnen,Martin Dulig,Heiko Maas andManuela Schwesig, he co-chaired the SPD’s national convention inLeipzig in 2013.[3]
In the negotiations to form aGrand Coalition ofChancellorAngela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU together with the BavarianCSU) and the SPD following the2013 federal elections, Albig was part of the SPD delegation in the working group on transport, building and infrastructure, led byPeter Ramsauer andFlorian Pronold.
In 2015, Albig – alongsideFirst Mayor of HamburgOlaf Scholz – negotiated arestructuring deal with theEuropean Commission that allowed the German regional lenderHSH Nordbank to offload €6.2 billion in troubled assets – mainly non-performing ship loans – onto its government majority owners and avoid being shut down, saving around 2,500 jobs.[4]
From 2018 to 2021, Albig worked as Vice President Corporate Representation ofDeutsche Post inBrussels.[5] Since 2023, he has been responsible for external affairs atPhilip Morris International's German subsidiary.[6]
Albig is married and has two children.[8]
| Preceded by | Minister President ofSchleswig-Holstein 12 June 2012 – 28 June 2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Mayor ofKiel 11 June 2009 – 6 May 2012 | Succeeded by Peter Todeskino Acting |
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| International | |
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| People | |
