Saskia Esken facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saskia Esken
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Esken in 2025
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| Leader of the Social Democratic Party | |
| In office 6 December 2019 – 27 June 2025 Serving with Norbert Walter-Borjans (2019–2021) and Lars Klingbeil (since 2021)
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| Deputy |
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| General Secretary |
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| Preceded by | Andrea Nahles |
| Succeeded by | Bärbel Bas |
| Member of the Bundestag for Baden-Württemberg |
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| Assumed office 22 September 2013 |
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| Constituency | At-large |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Saskia Christina Hofer
28 August 1961 Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany |
| Political party | SPD (since 1990) |
| Spouses |
Roland Esken
(m. 1993) |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Unskilled laborer, Software developer, Politician |
| Signature |  |
Saskia Christina Esken (born August 28, 1961) is a German politician. She is a leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). She was first elected as a co-leader in December 2019 and re-elected in December 2021. Since 2013, she has been a member of the Bundestag, which is Germany's parliament. Before becoming a full-time politician, she worked in the computer industry.
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Early Life and Education
Saskia Esken was born in 1961 in Stuttgart, Germany. She finished high school in 1980 or 1981. She was the first person in her family to go to university. She studied German and politics at the University of Stuttgart but left after two years.
After leaving university, Esken worked many different jobs. She was a street musician, a waitress, and delivered packages. She also worked as a typist and production assistant. In 1990 or 1991, she completed training to become a computer scientist. She worked in software development until 1994, when her first child was born.
Family Life and Community Work
Saskia Esken married Roland Esken in 1993. They have three children: Jana, Lena, and Sebastian, born in 1994, 1996, and 1999.
Esken became involved in education policy through her children's school. She volunteered with parent associations. From 2012 to 2014, she was the deputy chair of the state parents' council in Baden-Württemberg. This role helped her learn more about how schools and education are managed.
Political Journey
Joining the SPD Party
Saskia Esken joined the SPD party in 1990. At that time, she lived in Calw, a small town in the Black Forest region. She became very active in local politics.
From 2008 to 2015, she led the local SPD group in Bad Liebenzell. She also led the SPD group for the Calw district from 2010 to 2020. These roles helped her gain experience in leading political groups.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Esken was first elected to the German Bundestag in 2013. She represented the Calw area. In parliament, she worked on several important committees.
She was part of committees dealing with internal affairs, digital issues, and education. She also focused on research and technology. Her work included topics like online privacy, computer security, and digital learning. She also worked on how the government uses technology.
Leading the SPD Party
In 2019, Saskia Esken decided to run for co-leader of the SPD party. She ran alongside Norbert Walter-Borjans. They won the election in November 2019. She was re-elected in December 2021 with Lars Klingbeil.
As co-leader, Esken worked on important party goals. These included pushing for more government investment and a higher minimum wage. In August 2020, she and Walter-Borjans announced that Olaf Scholz would be the party's candidate for Chancellor in the 2021 elections.
In the 2021 Bundestag election, Esken was re-elected to parliament. She was at the top of the SPD's list for Baden-Württemberg. In 2024, she decided to run again in the 2025 Bundestag elections. She is again leading the state list for the SPD in Baden-Württemberg.
In May 2025, it was announced that Esken would not become a minister in the new government. However, she will continue to be a member of the Bundestag. After this, Esken announced that she would not seek re-election as the party chairwoman.
Other Activities and Roles
Saskia Esken is involved in several other important organizations. These roles often relate to her political interests in technology and the environment.
- Federal Network Agency (BNetzA): She is a member of the advisory board for this agency. It oversees electricity, gas, telecommunications, and postal services.
- Stiftung Datenschutz: She is on the Strategic Advisory Board for this foundation, which focuses on data protection.
- Ein Netz für Kinder: Since 2014, she has been a member of the Board of Trustees for this initiative. It works to make the internet safer for children.
- Environmental Groups: She is a member of the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) and Greenpeace.
- Trade Union: She is also a member of the German United Services Trade Union (ver.di).
Political Views
Saskia Esken is known for being part of the more left-leaning side of the SPD party. She has strong views on several topics.
In March 2019, she spoke out against a European Union rule about copyright on the internet. She also often called for changes to the 2018 government agreement. She wanted more focus on government spending and climate change.
After the 2022 events in Ukraine, Esken was one of the first SPD leaders to ask Gerhard Schröder to leave the party. This was because he kept his close ties to Russia's leaders.
See also
In Spanish: Saskia Esken para niños
