Wolfgang Schmidt | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Schmidt in 2024 | |
| Head of the Chancellery Minister for Special Affairs | |
| In office 8 December 2021 – 6 May 2025 | |
| Chancellor | Olaf Scholz |
| Preceded by | Helge Braun |
| Succeeded by | Thorsten Frei |
| State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance | |
| In office 14 March 2018 – 8 December 2021 Serving with Werner Gatzer, Rolf Bösinger, Jörg Kukies | |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Minister | Olaf Scholz |
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by |
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| Counselor of State of the State Chancellery of Hamburg Representative for Federal Affairs | |
| In office 7 March 2011 – 28 March 2018 | |
| First Mayor | Olaf Scholz |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Annette Tabbara |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Wolfgang Schmidt (1970-09-23)23 September 1970 (age 55) |
| Party | Social Democratic Party(1989–) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
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| Website | Official Government website |
Wolfgang Schmidt (German pronunciation:[ˈvɔlfɡaŋˈʃmɪt]; born(1970-09-23)23 September 1970) is aGermanpolitician andjurist who served asFederal Minister for Special Affairs,Head of the Chancellery and Commissioner for the Federal Intelligence Services from 2021 to 2025. He was previouslyState Secretary at theFederal Ministry of Finance under MinisterOlaf Scholz in the government ofChancellorAngela Merkel from 2018 to 2021.[1]
Schmidt has been a close associate of Scholz since 2002 and is considered hisspin doctor.[2]
Schmidt was born 23 September 1970, inHamburg. He studied law at theUniversity of Hamburg as well as theUniversity of Deusto in Bilbao/Spain from 1991, graduating with hisfirst state examination by 1997. Thereafter, he worked asResearch associate at theUniversity of Hamburg until 2000. Schmidt then served a two-yearlegal clerkship term at theHanseatic Higher Regional Court until 2002, when he completed hissecond state examination.[3]
From 2002 until 2005, Schmidt worked as advisor and later aschief of staff toOlaf Scholz in his capacity as the SPD's secretary general.[4] He followed Scholz as chief of staff when the latter was appointed aswhip of the SPD parliamentary group.[citation needed]
In thegovernment ofChancellorAngela Merkel, Schmidt again served as Scholz's chief of staff at theFederal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.[4]
From 2010 to 2011, Schmidt served as director of theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) representative office in Germany.[4]
Schmidt joined theyouth organization of theSocial Democratic Party, called theJusos, in 1989 due to his interest in thethird world.[5]
On 6 December 2021, Schmidt was nominated asFederal Minister for Special Affairs andHead of the Chancellery in Scholz'scabinet,[6][7][8][9] and was inaugurated byPresidentFrank-Walter Steinmeier on 8 December.[10][11][12]
Since taking office, Schmidt has been described in news medias as "Olaf Scholz’s shadow foreign minister."[13] Early in his tenure, he became a key architect of the policies outlines in Scholz'sZeitenwende speech.[13] In February 2023, he appeared in parliament for the first time, explaining and defending the government's policies in a 90-minute question-and-answer session.[13]
In October 2023, Schmidt participated in the first joint cabinet retreat of the German and French governments in Hamburg, chaired by Scholz andPresidentEmmanuel Macron.[14][15]
In August 2024, Schmidt announced his intention to run for a parliamentary seat in the2025 national elections.[16]
Schmidt has two daughters. He lives inBerlin.[25]
Media related toWolfgang Schmidt (politician, 1970) at Wikimedia Commons
