Reinhard Höppner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reinhard Höppner
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| Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 21 July 1994 – 16 May 2002 |
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| Deputy | Heidrun Heidecke Gerlinde Kuppe |
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| Preceded by | Christoph Bergner | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Böhmer | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Landtag of Saxony-Anhalt | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 16 May 2002 – 23 April 2006 |
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| Preceded by | multi-member district | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | multi-member district | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Social Democratic Party List | ||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 28 October 1990 – 16 May 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Gerhard Ruden | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Magdeburg II | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 December 1948 Haldensleben, Saxony-Anhalt, Soviet occupation zone (now Germany) |
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| Died | 9 June 2014 (aged 65) Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany |
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| Cause of death | Cancer | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Social Democratic Party (1990–2014) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
Social Democratic Party in the GDR (1989–1990) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Renate Höppner | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Franz Höppner | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Magdeburg | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Technische Universität Dresden (Dr. rer. nat.) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation |
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Reinhard Höppner (born December 2, 1948 – died June 9, 2014) was an important German politician and writer. He was a member of the SPD.
Before becoming a politician, Höppner earned a special degree in mathematics. This showed his strong academic background.
Contents
Reinhard Höppner's Political Journey
Reinhard Höppner had a significant career in German politics. He played a key role during a time of big changes in Germany.
Early Political Steps
In 1990, East Germany held its first ever free election. This was a very important moment for the country. Höppner was elected to the People's Chamber (Volkskammer). This was East Germany's main assembly. He quickly became the assembly's vice president. This showed his growing influence.
Becoming Minister-President
In July 1994, Reinhard Höppner became the 4th Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt. This is like being the governor of a state in Germany. His party, the SPD, did not win enough votes to govern alone.
The Magdeburg Model Explained
Instead of forming a traditional majority government, Höppner's SPD party formed a special kind of government. They teamed up with the Green party. This new government was a "minority coalition." This means they did not have enough votes to pass laws on their own.
Most people thought the SPD would join with another party, the PDS. The PDS was linked to the old East German ruling party. But Höppner chose a different path. His government was "tolerated" by the PDS. This meant the PDS agreed not to vote against them.
This way of governing became known as the "Magdeburg model." It was a new idea in German politics. Other regions later used this model too. It allowed governments to form even without a clear majority.
End of His Term
Reinhard Höppner served as Minister-President until May 16, 2002. He was then succeeded by Wolfgang Böhmer. Höppner's time in office was marked by this unique approach to governing.
