Günther Oettinger | |
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European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources | |
Assumed office 1 January 2017 |
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President | Jean-Claude Juncker |
Preceded by | Kristalina Georgieva |
European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society | |
Assumed office 1 November 2014 |
|
President | Jean-Claude Juncker |
Preceded by | Neelie Kroes (Digital Agenda) |
European Commissioner for Energy | |
In office 9 February 2010 – 1 November 2014 |
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President | José Manuel Barroso |
Preceded by | Andris Piebalgs |
Succeeded by |
Miguel Arias Cañete (Climate Action and Energy) Maroš Šefčovič (Energy Union) |
Minister President of Baden-Württemberg | |
In office 21 April 2005 – 9 February 2010 |
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Preceded by | Erwin Teufel |
Succeeded by | Stefan Mappus |
Leader of the Christian Democratic Union in Baden-Württemberg | |
In office 29 April 2005 – 20 November 2009 |
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Preceded by | Erwin Teufel |
Succeeded by | Stefan Mappus |
Personal details | |
Born |
Günther Hermann Oettinger 15 October 1953 Stuttgart, West Germany (now Germany) |
Political party | Christian Democratic Union |
Spouse(s) | Inken Stange (1994–2007) |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | University of Tübingen |
Website | Official website |
Günther Hermann Oettinger (born 15 October 1953) is a German politician and a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). As of 1 January 2017, Oettinger serves as the European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources in the college of the Juncker Commission. From 2014 to 2016 he was in charge of Digital Economy and Society. He previously served as Vice President of the Barroso II commission and is affiliated with the European People's Party (EPP). He served as Minister President of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg between 2005 and 2010 and as chairman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg from 2005 until 2010.
Oettinger studied Law and Economics at the University of Tübingen. He worked in an accounting and tax consulting business, before being licensed in 1984 to practice law and worked in this sector until 1988.
Oettinger embarked in politics as a member of the Junge Union, the youth organisation of the CDU; he was chairman of the organization in Baden-Württemberg from 1983 to 1989. From 2001 to 2005 he served as Chairman of the CDU Party in Nordwürttemberg (North Württemberg), and has also been CDU Chairman of the Federal Committee for Media Politics. Oettinger was elected as a Member of the State Parliament (Landtag) of Baden-Württemberg in 1984. From 1991 to 2005 he was Leader of the CDU Parliamentary Group.
In October 2004 the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg Erwin Teufel announced that he was to step down as Minister President and Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg CDU, effective 19 April 2005. Oettinger was elected as his successor by CDU internal party pre-elections. His referendum win – with 60.6 percent of the vote versus 39.4 percent for state Education Minister Annette Schavan – was widely seen at the time as a defeat for Teufel, who had promoted Schavan as his preferred successor.