Sigmar Gabriel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sigmar Gabriel
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Gabriel in 2018
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| Vice Chancellor of Germany | |
| In office 17 December 2013 – 14 March 2018 |
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| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Philipp Rösler |
| Succeeded by | Olaf Scholz |
| Leader of the Social Democratic Party | |
| In office 13 November 2009 – 19 March 2017 |
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| Deputy | Olaf Scholz Hannelore Kraft Ralf Stegner Aydan Özoğuz Manuela Schwesig Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel |
| Preceded by | Franz Müntefering |
| Succeeded by | Martin Schulz |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 27 January 2017 – 14 March 2018 |
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| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Frank-Walter Steinmeier |
| Succeeded by | Heiko Maas |
| Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy | |
| In office 17 December 2013 – 27 January 2017 |
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| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Philipp Rösler (Economics and Technology) |
| Succeeded by | Brigitte Zypries |
| Minister of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety | |
| In office 22 November 2005 – 27 October 2009 |
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| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Jürgen Trittin |
| Succeeded by | Norbert Röttgen |
| Minister-President of Lower Saxony | |
| In office 15 December 1999 – 4 March 2003 |
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| Deputy | Heidrun Merk Renate Jürgens-Pieper |
| Preceded by | Gerhard Glogowski |
| Succeeded by | Christian Wulff |
| Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in the Landtag of Lower Saxony | |
| In office 4 March 2003 – 9 November 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Axel Plaue |
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Jüttner |
| In office 30 March 1998 – 15 December 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Heinrich Aller |
| Succeeded by | Axel Plaue |
| Member of the Bundestag for Salzgitter – Wolfenbüttel |
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| In office 18 October 2005 – 3 November 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Wilhelm Schmidt |
| Succeeded by | Markus Paschke |
| Member of the Landtag of Lower Saxony for Goslar |
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| In office 21 June 1990 – 9 November 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Jürgen Sikora |
| Succeeded by | Petra Emmerich-Kopatsch |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sigmar Hartmut Gabriel
12 September 1959 Goslar, Lower Saxony, West Germany |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
| Spouses |
Munise Demirel
(m. 1989; div. 1998)Anke Stadler
(m. 2012) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Göttingen |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Germany |
| Branch/service |  Bundeswehr |
| Years of service | 1979–1981 |
| Unit |  Air Force (Luftwaffe) |
Sigmar Hartmut Gabriel (born 12 September 1959) is a German politician. He served as the Vice Chancellor of Germany from 2013 to 2018. He was also the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2018.
Gabriel led the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) from 2009 to 2017. This made him the party's longest-serving leader since Willy Brandt. He also held important roles like Federal Minister of the Environment (2005–2009) and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy (2013–2017). From 1999 to 2003, he was the Minister-President of Lower Saxony.
He represented the Salzgitter – Wolfenbüttel area in the Bundestag, which is Germany's parliament.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sigmar Gabriel was born in Goslar, West Germany, on September 12, 1959. His father, Walter Gabriel, was a civil servant. His mother, Antonie Gabriel, was a nurse. His parents divorced when he was young.
Both of Gabriel's parents came to West Germany as refugees. This happened during the flight and expulsion of Germans at the end of World War II. Gabriel has said his family history was a "wild story of flight and expulsion."
Gabriel went to school in Goslar. He served as a soldier in the German Air Force from 1979 to 1981. Later, he studied politics, sociology, and German at the University of Göttingen. He became a grammar school teacher in 1989.
Political Journey
Gabriel joined the SPD party in 1977. He quickly took on different roles in local politics. In 1990, he was elected to the State Parliament of Lower Saxony. He led the SPD group there from 1998 to 1999.
Leading Lower Saxony (1999–2003)
On December 15, 1999, Gabriel became the Minister-President of Lower Saxony. This happened after Gerhard Glogowski resigned. Gabriel served in this role until March 4, 2003. During this time, many saw him as a rising star in politics.
After leaving office in 2003, Gabriel took on a unique role. He became the SPD's "Representative for Pop Culture and Pop Discourse." This earned him the nickname Siggi Pop.
Federal Environment Minister (2005–2009)
In the 2005 federal election, Gabriel was elected to the Bundestag. He represented the Salzgitter – Wolfenbüttel area.
From 2005 to 2009, Gabriel served as the Federal Minister for the Environment. He was part of Angela Merkel's first government.
During his time as Environment Minister, Gabriel supported the International Renewable Energy Agency. He also led Germany's team at the 2006 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Nairobi. In 2007, he helped lead talks among European Union environment ministers. Their goal was to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels. He also visited Greenland with Angela Merkel to see the effects of global warming.
Opposition Leader (2009–2013)
After the SPD lost the federal election in 2009, Franz Müntefering stepped down as party chairman. Gabriel was chosen to take his place. He was elected on November 13, 2009. He was re-elected in 2011 with a strong vote.
As chairman, Gabriel made changes to the SPD party. He helped create the Progressive Alliance in 2013. He believed the previous organization included groups that were not democratic.
For the 2013 federal election, Gabriel was considered as a possible candidate for Chancellor. However, the party decided to nominate Peer Steinbrück instead.
During the election campaign, Gabriel spoke at a meeting of Alliance '90/The Greens. He called for a partnership between the SPD and the Greens. This was to try and defeat Angela Merkel in the elections.
Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister (2013–2018)
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In 2013, the Social Democrats lost the federal election again. However, Gabriel managed to get the party into a shared government with Angela Merkel's party. This happened after long talks and a vote by SPD members. Many saw his negotiating skills as very good, especially since his party had fewer votes.
Gabriel became the Vice-Chancellor in the third Merkel cabinet. He also took charge of Germany's energy overhaul. This was part of a new Economy Ministry. He also became a member of the government's committee on Brexit.
As Minister of the Economy, Gabriel tried to control Germany's defense industry exports.
In January 2017, Gabriel announced he would not run for Chancellor in 2017. Instead, he suggested that Martin Schulz become the candidate and take over as party chairman.
Gabriel also announced he would become the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He took office on January 27, 2017. Brigitte Zypries then became the Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy.
At the Munich Security Conference in February 2017, Gabriel spoke about NATO. He said members should focus more on the "root causes of conflict." These include "poverty and climate."
Gabriel suggested that development aid should count towards NATO's 2% GDP defense spending goal. However, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg later said that development aid cannot be part of defense spending.
As Foreign Minister, Gabriel said Germany would continue its alliance with the US. But he also stated that Germany would take a bigger role internationally. This would happen if Donald Trump continued his protectionist policies.
Life After Politics
After leaving public office, Gabriel took on various roles.
In 2018, he was nominated to join the board of Siemens Alstom. This was a planned merger of two railway companies. However, the merger was stopped due to competition concerns. In 2019, he turned down an offer to lead the German Association of the Automotive Industry. This was after public criticism.
In June 2019, he said Donald Trump was right to criticize China. He also supported Trump's talks with North Korea.
Gabriel has been involved with several international groups. These include the Atlantic Bridge and the Trilateral Commission. He has also been a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Crisis Group. Since November 2019, he has worked as a political consultant for Eurasia Group.
In January 2020, Deutsche Bank nominated him for a seat on its supervisory board. This caused some debate. Some argued that former high-ranking officials should wait longer before taking such roles. On May 20, 2020, Gabriel was elected to the supervisory board of Deutsche Bank.
Gabriel also worked as a consultant for Tönnies Holding. He advised them on trade restrictions for meat products.
Since 2020, the German-Israeli Future Forum Foundation has run the Sylke Tempel Fellowship program under Gabriel's support.
Other Activities and Boards
Sigmar Gabriel is involved in many organizations outside of direct politics.
Company Boards
- Heristo, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2023)
- Bosch, Member of the International Advisory Committee (since 2022)
- Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, Chair of the Supervisory Board (since 2022)
- Siemens Energy, Member of the supervisory board (since 2020)
- Deutsche Bank, Member of the supervisory board (since 2020)
- Eurasia Group, Senior Advisor (since 2019)
- Deloitte Germany, Member of the advisory board (since 2019)
- KfW, Member of the Board of Supervisory Directors (2013-2018)
- RAG-Stiftung, Member of the Board of Trustees (2013-2017)
- Volkswagen, Member of the supervisory board (1999-2003)
Non-profit Organizations
- Peace of Westphalia Prize, Member of the Jury (since 2022)
- Bonner Akademie für Forschung und Lehre praktischer Politik (BAPP), Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2009)
- German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW), Member of the Political Advisory Board (since 2018)
- European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Member (since 2018)
- International Crisis Group, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2018)
- Trilateral Commission, Member of the European Group (since 2018)
- Denkwerk Demokratie, Member of the Advisory Board
- Deutsche Nationalstiftung, Member of the Senate
- Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), Member
- Til Schweiger Foundation, Member of the Advisory Board
- World Economic Forum (WEF), Member of the Global Future Council on Geopolitics (2018-2019)
- Aktion Deutschland Hilft (Germany's Relief Coalition), Member of the Board of Trustees (2017-2018)
- Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Deputy Chairman (2005–2009)
- German Energy Agency (DENA), Member of the supervisory board (2005–2009)
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Member of the Board of Trustees (2005–2009)
- IG Metall, Member
- Lions Club, Member
Political Views
Foreign Policy
Gabriel has often spoken against German soldiers staying in Afghanistan. In 2010, he asked for a review to see if the US strategy there was working. However, he voted to extend Germany's role in the NATO mission ISAF several times.
In 2008, Gabriel took part in a joint meeting of the German and Israeli governments in Jerusalem. This was for Israel's 60th anniversary. In 2012, after visiting Hebron and the Palestinian territories, he said Palestinians faced unfair treatment.
Gabriel was the first high-level German official to visit Iran in 13 years. This happened after Iran reached an agreement on its nuclear program. He met with Iranian leaders to discuss trade and other issues.
In August 2014, Gabriel suggested a federal system for Ukraine. He believed this was the only way to solve the conflict there. He also said Germany wanted to help resolve the conflict without harming Russia too much. He later suggested easing sanctions on Russia for cooperation in Syria.
In September 2015, during the European migrant crisis, Gabriel visited a refugee camp in Jordan. He learned about the struggles of Syrians fleeing war. Gabriel also publicly urged Saudi Arabia to stop supporting religious extremists.
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In January 2016, Gabriel took part in a joint meeting of the German and Turkish governments. Later that year, he said Turkey joining the European Union soon was "an illusion."
After the G7 summit in 2017, Gabriel said the United States, under Donald Trump, had "weakened" the West. He felt the balance of power had shifted.
In June 2017, Gabriel criticized new US sanctions against Russia. These sanctions targeted energy projects between the EU and Russia, like Nord Stream 2. He stated that Europe's energy supply is a matter for Europe, not the United States.
Gabriel supports the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. This group wants to make the United Nations more democratic. He believes the UN needs to be "more effective, transparent, and democratic."
In February 2018, Gabriel accused Russia and China of trying to "undermine" the Western world order. He said no one should try to divide the European Union. In September 2018, Gabriel noted the "unfathomable suffering" of Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Russians in World War II. He said Germany has a responsibility there.
In March 2018, Gabriel wrote about the future of relations between Turkey and the West. He argued for an inclusive approach to Turkey. In February 2020, he signed an open letter criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan. He said it would create an apartheid-like situation for Palestinians.
Economic Policy
At the G20 summit in 2011, Gabriel suggested a "new deal" for economic growth. He also supported a tax on financial transactions. He wanted to separate consumer and investment banking.
In 2014, Gabriel said special investment protections were not needed in a trade deal between the EU and the US. He later called for a public trade and investment court. This would replace the current private arbitration system. He also warned against over-expecting economic benefits from the deal. By August 2016, Gabriel said talks on the deal had "de facto" failed.
In September 2014, Gabriel rejected a specific clause in the trade agreement between Canada and the European Union. This led to new talks for the agreement.
In 2014, Gabriel met with economist Thomas Piketty. Piketty suggested a tax on wealth. Gabriel disagreed, saying it would be "crazy" for businesses. He also argued it would not generate much money.
Together with French minister Emmanuel Macron, Gabriel proposed a common budget for the eurozone in 2015.
Energy Policy
After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, Gabriel criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency. He said it had promoted building nuclear plants in risky areas. He believed this needed to stop.
In 2015, Gabriel opposed a plan for regional power markets. He thought a free market with an emergency reserve would be cheaper. He also warned against stopping coal-fired power generation too quickly. He was concerned it would add pressure on producers.
Arms Exports
When he became Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Gabriel promised to be more careful with arms export licenses. This worried the defense industry. In August 2014, he stopped permission for Rheinmetall to build a military training center in Russia.
Gabriel had promised his party to reduce arms sales to countries that abuse human rights. He said controls over where small arms end up were not good enough. However, he also said deals with countries outside Germany's usual allies could be approved. This would be for "special foreign-policy or security interests." In late 2015, his ministry approved a merger of German tank maker Krauss-Maffei Wegmann with French company Nexter.
Digital Policy
In May 2014, Gabriel and France's economy minister criticized a settlement in an antitrust investigation into Google. Gabriel later welcomed EU charges against Google in April 2015.
In September 2014, Gabriel called Google, Amazon.com, and Apple Inc. "anti-social." He said they were avoiding proper taxation. In early 2015, Gabriel and his French counterpart wrote a letter about the growing power of online giants. They suggested a new regulatory framework for "essential digital platforms."
In 2016, during Chinese bids for German engineering firms, Gabriel called for a European safeguard clause. This would stop foreign takeovers of companies with technology important for Europe's future.
Human Rights
In April 2014, human rights lawyer Mo Shaoping was prevented from meeting Gabriel during his visit to China. This happened even though Gabriel had said he wanted to meet critical voices.
During a 2015 visit to King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Gabriel publicly asked for the release of imprisoned writer Raif Badawi. This was an unusual step for a Western leader visiting Saudi Arabia. He had been urged by politicians and human rights groups to raise Badawi's case.
During a trip to Qatar, Gabriel urged the emir of Qatar to better protect foreign household workers. These workers often face abuse from employers.
Personal Life
Sigmar Gabriel has three daughters. His first daughter, Saskia, was born in 1989. He was married to Munise Demirel from 1989 to 1998. In 2012, he married dentist Anke Stadler. Their daughter Marie was born in 2012. His youngest daughter, Thea, was born on March 4, 2017.
In December 2016, Gabriel had surgery to help manage his diabetes.
See also
In Spanish: Sigmar Gabriel para niños
- List of foreign ministers in 2017
- List of current foreign ministers
