fbpx
Wikipedia

Wolfgang Clement

March 01, 2023

Wolfgang Clement (7 July 1940 – 27 September 2020) was a German politician and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was the 7th Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia from 27 May 1998 to 22 October 2002 and Federal Minister of Economics and Labour from 2002 to 2005. He was an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.

Wolfgang Clement
Bundesminister a. D. Ministerpräsident a. D. MdL a. D.
Clement in 2004
Minister for Economics and Labour
In office
22 October 2002 – 22 November 2005
ChancellorGerhard Schröder
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia
In office
27 May 1998 – 22 October 2002
DeputyMichael Vesper
Preceded byJohannes Rau
Succeeded byPeer Steinbrück
Minister of Economy and medium-sized Businesses, Technology and Transportation of North Rhine-Westphalia
In office
17 July 1995 – 9 June 1998
Minister-PresidentJohannes Rau
Preceded byGünther Einert (Economy, medium-sized Businesses and Technology)
Succeeded byBodo Hombach
Minister for Special Affairs and Chief of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia
In office
12 June 1990 – 17 July 1995
Minister-PresidentJohannes Rau
Preceded byKlaus Dieter Leister
Succeeded byRüdiger Frohn
Parliamentary constituencies
Member of the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia
In office
1 June 1995 – 7 November 2002
Preceded byGeorg Aigner
Succeeded byKarsten Rudolph
ConstituencyBochum II
In office
1 October 1993 – 1 June 1995
Preceded byWilhelm Vollmann
Succeeded bymulti-member district
ConstituencySocial Democratic Party List
Personal details
Born(1940-07-07)7 July 1940
Bochum, Gau Westphalia-South, German Reich
(now Germany)
Died27 September 2020(2020-09-27) (aged 80)
Bonn, Germany
Cause of deathLung cancer
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Social Democratic Party (1970–2008)
Alma materUniversity of Marburg

He was known for being one of the architects of the Agenda 2010 labor market reforms under chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the early 2000s. He was also credited with the merger of the federal ministry of economics and labor and the Hartz I through IV labor market reforms. The labor and welfare reforms have been credited with reducing unemployment and contributing to Germany's growth years. However, the reforms have been a divisive topic and created a lasting rift between the leftists and the centrists at the SPD.

Education and career

Clement was born on 7 July 1940 in Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, and was the son of a bricklayer.[1] He completed his schooling Abitur at the Graf-Engelbert-Schule in Bochum.[2] He then completed his apprenticeship, Volontariat [de], at the Westfälische Rundschau [de] newspaper in Dortmund. He completed his degree in law at the University of Münster in 1965, including clearing the First State Examination, a qualification that allowed him to teach.[2]

Clement later worked as an articled clerk and assistant at the Institute for Trial Law at the University of Marburg. In 1968, he returned to the Westfälische Rundschau, first as a political editor, and went onto become the head of political department, and then the deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper.[2] In 1986, Clement moved to the Hamburger Morgenpost, where he remained as editor-in-chief until 1989.[2]

On 12 November 2004, he was presented with an honorary doctorate (Dr. h. c.) by the Ruhr University in Bochum.[3]

Political career

Clement started his political career with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1970[4] and was a member of the party until 2008.[5] Between 1981 and 1986, he was a spokesman for the party's federal executive board, and was also the deputy party whip between 1985 and 1986.[6]

In 1989, he was appointed head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) by then NRW Minister President Johannes Rau’s government.[7] He relinquished this position in favor of the position of State Minister of Special Tasks for NRW after the state elections in 1990. After the 1995 state elections, he was the State Minister of Economics and Small Business, Technology, and Transport.[8]

Member of State Parliament (1993–2002)

Clement was a member of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1 October 1993 to 6 November 2002.[2] Between 1994 and 2001, he was also was on the SPD State Executive in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW),[9] and was the deputy leader of the executive from 1996.[9] He became a member of the SPD federal executive board in 1995,[9] and served until his exit from the party in 2008.[5]

Minister President (1998–2002)

Clement was elected as Johannes Rau's successor as the Minister president of North Rhine-Westphalia on 27 May 1998.[10] With state debts in excess of 130,000 million marks (DEM), he announced drastic cuts and austerity measures including reduction in the size of his own cabinet.[11]

In one of his first moves on 17 June 1998, he announced the merger of the Justice and Interior ministries into one entity.[12] There were doubts if this decision was compatible with the German Constitution, as it was seen by some as a violation of the division of powers.[13] On 9 February 1999, the Constitutional Court of North Rhine-Westphalia ruled that the amalgamation violated the rights of the state parliament.[14] In addition with pressure from coalition partner Bündnis '90/Die Grünen (the Green party), the merger was canceled. He took on the responsibilities of justice minister for a brief period between 10 to 22 March 1999, before handing the position over to Jochen Dieckmann, who served as the Justice Minister for NRW through the end of the legislature term on 27 June 2000. During this period, Clement also served as the deputy chairman of the SPD from December 1999. In the 2000 state elections under his leadership, the SPD received 42.8% of the votes, a drop of 3.2% from the previous election.[15] However, the party was able to form a coalition government with the Green Party.[16] In this coalition, there were debates between Clement and the Green Party's Bärbel Höhn, who opposed the continuation of coal mining subsidies and the support for large industrial projects like the Garzweiler surface mine, that were supported by Clement.[17]

After Clement started his term of office as state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia on 27 May 1998, four ministers resigned or left their position early —Minister for the Economy Bodo Hombach (moved to Bonn as Minister of the Chancellery),[18] Justice Minister Reinhard Rauball (resigned after a week in position),[19] Minister for European and Federal Affairs Detlev Samland [de] (resigned due to tax misdemeanor),[20] and Finance Minister Heinz Schleußer [de] (Flugaffäre [de] flights misuse).[21] This was also the time when Clement proclaimed that the media industry in NRW would be the "engine of structural change" in the state. The move however, saw limited success. An animation studio in Oberhausen received €50 million in funding as part of this program, but generated limited employment in the end.[22]

In Clement's time in office as the state premier of NRW, four parliamentary investigative committees, or Parlamentarische Untersuchungsausschüsse (PUAs), were set up:[23] Review of state enterprises,[24] High Definition Oberhausen (HDO – PUA II),[25] High Definition Oberhausen (HDO – PUA III),[25] and Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale.[26]

Federal Minister of Economics and Labour (2002–2005)

 
Wolfgang Clement with the then Indian Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram during a ministerial state visit to New Delhi, India. (April 2005)

After the 2002 federal elections, Clement was part of the Social Democrats’ team in negotiations with the Green Party on a new coalition agreement for a government under the leadership of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. He gave up his office of Minister-President of NRW on 21 October 2002 and was appointed Federal Minister of Economics and Labour in the new government led by Schröder.[27] In this role, he was taking over the newly created so-called “super ministry” that had been formed by the amalgamation of the Economic and Labour ministries.[28][4]

The prevailing social democratic thinking in Europe was re-shaped by the Schröder-Blair paper of 1999, a joint working paper between German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, which introduced the "third way" or "Neue Mitte" in that a social democratic future required a comprehensive economization of society with the state withdrawing from the markets and other welfare measures.[29] This represented an abrupt U-turn with respect to the exiting programs of the SPD. In continuation of this thinking, Schröder and Clement, came up with the Agenda 2010 series of reforms where the economy was given more freedom, and labor market reforms starting with the Hartz I through IV programs were introduced.[30][31] Agenda 2010 was announced as the single largest reform efforts in post-war Germany, and included a set of actions that sought to rethink how the government organized education, social security, and employment.[32] The market reforms relaxed labor market restrictions and reduced social benefits in a bid to boost employment.[31][33] The reforms emerged to be a divisive topic in Germany with a section of the business community stating that these reforms laid the foundation for the sustainable and employment intensive recovery that took off in 2005.[31] The labor and welfare reforms have been credited with reducing unemployment and contributing to Germany's growth years.[28] However, the reforms led to a rift between the left and centrist sections of the SPD, driven by oppositions from the trade unions and social organizations, ultimately resulting in the split Germany's center-left, and led to the creation of the far-left party Die Linke and significantly weakened the SPD.[31][34][35]

Following the 2005 elections, Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor on 22 November 2005,[36] and Clement was replaced by Michael Glos.[37]

On 31 July 2008, Clement was expelled from the SPD[38] by the Landesschiedskommission (i.e. State arbitration board) of NRW after making a statement in which he advised against voting for the SPD. Clement went to the superior Bundesschiedskommission (Federal arbitration board) which subsequently cancelled the verdict on 24 November 2008. On 25 November, Clement announced his decision to leave the party.[5] He went on to support the Free Democratic Party led by Christian Lindner, but did not join the party.[39]

Life after politics

 
Clement in 2019

After leaving politics, Clement held various paid and unpaid positions. In 2006, he was appointed by the employers' and employees' organizations of Germany's construction sector – the German Construction Confederation (ZDB), the Central Federation of the German Construction Industry (HDB), and IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt (IG BAU) to mediate in a dispute over salary increases.[40] In 2018, he again helped the two sides to agree on a pay hike of roughly 6 percent for more than 800,000 construction workers.[41]

In 2007, Clement was awarded the Mercator Visiting Professorship for Political Management at the Universität Essen-Duisburg's NRW School of Governance.[42]

In 2017, Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe appointed Clement as Special Commissioner for Germany's candidacy to become the new headquarters of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).[43] He was also an honorary member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.[44]

In addition, he was a member of multiple corporate boards and non-profit organizations (below):

Corporate boards

  • Deutsche Wohnen AG, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2011)[45]
  • Peter Dussmann Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2011)[46]
  • Energy Consulting Group, Member of the Board of Directors (since 2009)[47]
  • Daldrup & Söhne AG, Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2008)[48]
  • Citigroup, Member of the German Advisory Board (since 2006)[49]
  • M. DuMont Schauberg, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2006)[50]
  • Wolters Kluwer Deutschland, Chairman of the Advisory Board (since 2006)[49]
  • Dussmann Verwaltungs AG, Member of the Supervisory Board (since 2005)[51]
  • RiverRock, Member of the Advisory Board (since 2009)[52]
  • RSBK Strategie Beratung Kommunikation AG, Member of the Advisory Board[53]
  • Shepard Fox Communications, Chairman of the Advisory Board[54]
  • DIS AG, Member of the Supervisory Board (until 2016)[55]

Non-profits

Personal life

 
Wolfgang Clement during the Radio Regenbogen Award 2019 at Europapark, Rust, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (April 2019)

Wolfgang Clement married his wife, Karin, in 1966 and went on to have five daughters and thirteen granddaughters.[64][3] He died at his home in Bonn on 27 September 2020, at the age of 80. He had been suffering from lung cancer.[65][66]

Clement's work ethic was praised by colleagues across both sides of the aisle. Peer Steinbrück his successor as the President Minister of NRW, recollecting their time together in NRW, noted that he could work with a "sensationally low need for sleep" working at his desk until 11 PM before heading out to Rhöndorf in Düsseldorf's old town for Altbiers, before returning to work at 7AM. Der Spiegel noted that "Er könne zwölf Glas Bier schneller trinken als andere zwölf Korn." or that "he could drink twelve glasses of beer faster than others could drink twelve shots".[67][68] He had also won a beer drinking contest, by downing a glass of Kölsch beer in 1.5 seconds at a German beer association ceremony in Cologne being held at the 487th anniversary of the Beer purity law, or Reinheitsgebot, in 2003. In his own words, the secret was "Man muss nur das Zäpfchen zurückklappen!" or that "You just have to fold back the uvula!"[68][69]

See also

References

  1. ^ SPIEGEL, Hans-Jürgen Schlamp, DER (27 September 2020). "Zum Tod von Wolfgang Clement: Vom Superminister zum Un-Sozialdemokraten – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Landtag NRW: Abgeordneten Wolfgang Clement". Landtag NRW (in German). from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Zeitgenössische Porträts Männer Wolfgang Clement". Bochum.de (in German). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Ehemaliger SPD-Politiker: Wolfgang Clement ist tot". Die Zeit Online (in German). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Wolfgang Clement: Der Impulsive". Frankfurter Allgemeine (in German). 25 November 2008. from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Dr. h. c. Wolfgang Clement". Kloepfel Consulting (in German). from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  7. ^ SPIEGEL, Hans-Jürgen Schlamp, DER (27 September 2020). "Zum Tod von Wolfgang Clement: Vom Superminister zum Un-Sozialdemokraten – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Wolfgang Clement: Sein Leben in Bildern". T-Online.de (in German). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b c "Wolfgang Clement". NRW SPD (in German). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  10. ^ Zimmermann, Elisabeth. "Wolfgang Clement—Prime Minister of North-Rhine Westphalia". www.wsws.org. from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  11. ^ Zimmermann, Elisabeth. "Wolfgang Clement—Prime Minister of North-Rhine Westphalia". www.wsws.org. from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  12. ^ (PDF) (in German). 17 June 1998. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 September 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  13. ^ (in German). 25 June 1998. Archived from the original on 23 October 2004. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  14. ^ (in German). 4 April 2005. Archived from the original on 4 April 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  15. ^ "Amtliches Endergebnis für das Land Nordrhein-Westfalen". Wahler Gebnisse Nordrhein-Westfalen (in German). from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  16. ^ "NRW-Koalition Alte Minister, neue Zuständigkeiten". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  17. ^ "Clement will gegen die Ökosteuer kämpfen". Die Welt (in German). from the original on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Bodo und die Detektive". Focus Magazin (in German). 1999. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Rauball nach einer Woche zurückgetreten". Die Welt (in German). 10 March 1999. from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Die Ereignisse im April". Manager Magazin (in German). from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  21. ^ "GESTORBEN Heinz Schleußer". Der Spiegel (in German). 17 July 2020. from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  22. ^ SPIEGEL, DER (27 September 2020). "Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern: Der Agenda-Mann – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  23. ^ (in German). 1 November 2003. Archived from the original on 15 January 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  24. ^ (in German). 15 July 2003. Archived from the original on 18 September 2004.
  25. ^ a b (in German). 11 September 2004. Archived from the original on 16 January 2005.
  26. ^ (in German). 4 August 2003. Archived from the original on 15 March 2007.
  27. ^ "Wolfgang Clement tot: Politiker trauern! Ex-Wirtschaftsminister mit 80 Jahren verstorben". News.de (in German). from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Former German 'super minister' Wolfgang Clement dies aged 80". Deccan Herald. 27 September 2020. from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  29. ^ Peter Schwarz. "Britain's Blair and Germany's Schröder present a joint programme: "The Third Way/Neue Mitte"". from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  30. ^ "Wolfgang Clement gestorben: Der Mann mit der Agenda 2010". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). 27 September 2020. ISSN 0931-9085. from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  31. ^ a b c d "Ehemaliger SPD-Politiker: Wolfgang Clement ist tot". Die Zeit Online (in German). from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  32. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "The much-hated Hartz IV | DW | 9 February 2010". DW.COM. from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  33. ^ Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com). "German Labor Minister Wants To Make Firing and Hiring Easier | DW | 22 January 2003". DW.COM. from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  34. ^ SPIEGEL, DER (27 September 2020). "Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern: Der Agenda-Mann – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  35. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "The much-hated Hartz IV | DW | 9 February 2010". DW.COM. from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  36. ^ "Merkel becomes German chancellor". BBC News. from the original on 9 December 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  37. ^ "Ruhegehalt: Michael Glos". Focus.de (in German). from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  38. ^ Social Democrats Oust Prominent Former Minister 5 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine DW-WORLD.DE (31 July 2008) Retrieved on 31 July 2008
  39. ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Wolfgang Clement ist tot | DW | 27 September 2020". DW.COM (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  40. ^ Dietrich Creutzburg (7 May 2009), Wolfgang Clement: Streitbarer, parteiloser Schlichter 29 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine Handelsblatt.
  41. ^ Michael Nienaber (12 May 2018), German construction workers seal inflation-busting wage deal 29 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine Reuters.
  42. ^ "UDE: Lehren für NRW – Gastprofessur für Wolfgang Clement". idw-online.de (in German). from the original on 25 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  43. ^ Gröhe: “In Bonn, the EMA can seamlessly continue its important work“ 20 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Federal Ministry of Health, press release of 7 August 2017.
  44. ^ conVistaAlMar.com.ar. "Honorary Members". The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  45. ^ Wolfgang Clement on the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Wohnen AG[permanent dead link] Deutsche Wohnen AG, press release of 7 July 2011.
  46. ^ Board of Trustees 6 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Peter Dussmann Foundation.
  47. ^ Wolfgang Clement becomes a member of the Board of Directors of Energy Consulting 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Energy Consulting Group, press release of 15 April 2009.
  48. ^ Supervisory Board 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Daldrup & Söhne AG.
  49. ^ a b König, Jens (22 January 2008). "Ab in die Wirtschaft". Die Tageszeitung (in German). Berlin. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  50. ^ Wolfgang Clement im Aufsichtsrat von M. DuMont Schauberg 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine M. DuMont Schauberg, press release of 13 June 2006.
  51. ^ Board of Trustees 6 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Peter Dussmann Foundation.
  52. ^ "Wolfgang Clement – Keynote Speaker". London Speaker Bureau. 28 April 2017. from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  53. ^ Advisory Board 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine RSBK Strategie Beratung Kommunikation AG.
  54. ^ Advisory Board 8 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Shepard Fox Communications.
  55. ^ "Wechsel im Aufsichtsrat der DIS AG, DIS AG, Pressemitteilung". PresseBox (in German). 15 June 2016. from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  56. ^ Board 4 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Ostinstitut Wismar.
  57. ^ Board of Trustees 13 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine Bonner Akademie für Forschung und Lehre praktischer Politik (BAPP).
  58. ^ Advisory Council 27 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).
  59. ^ Clement, Wolfgang (1 December 1996). "Wirtschaftspolitische Perspektiven des Industriestandortes Nordrhein-Westfalen". Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftspolitik (in German). 45 (3): 263–273. doi:10.1515/zfwp-1996-0302. ISSN 2366-0317. S2CID 157046807. from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  60. ^ "Institut für Berg- und Energierecht". Ruhr-Universität Bochum (in German). from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  61. ^ "Ex-Wirtschaftsminister Wolfgang Clement gestorben – "Eigentlich habe ich mir nie vorgestellt, aktiver Politiker zu werden"". Deutschlandfunk (in German). 25 March 2010. from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  62. ^ Board of Trustees 9 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Friends of the Berlin State Opera.
  63. ^ Business Forum 28 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Free Democratic Party (FDP).
  64. ^ "Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern: Der Agenda-Mann – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (news website) (in German). 27 September 2020. from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  65. ^ "Former German 'super minister' Wolfgang Clement dies aged 80". Deccan Herald. 27 September 2020. from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  66. ^ "Wolfgang Clement is dead". Tek Portal. from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  67. ^ Schlamp, Hans-Jürgen (27 September 2020). "Zum Tod von Wolfgang Clement: Vom Superminister zum Un-Sozialdemokraten – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  68. ^ a b SPIEGEL, DER (27 September 2020). "Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern: Der Agenda-Mann – DER SPIEGEL – Politik". Der Spiegel (in German). from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  69. ^ "German minister displays beer-quaffing talent". www.iol.co.za. from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wolfgang Clement.
  • The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
Political offices
Preceded by Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia
1998–2002 		Succeeded by

March 01, 2023
wolfgang, clement, july, 1940, september, 2020, german, politician, member, social, democratic, party, germany, minister, president, north, rhine, westphalia, from, 1998, october, 2002, federal, minister, economics, labour, from, 2002, 2005, honorary, member, . Wolfgang Clement 7 July 1940 27 September 2020 was a German politician and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany SPD He was the 7th Minister President of North Rhine Westphalia from 27 May 1998 to 22 October 2002 and Federal Minister of Economics and Labour from 2002 to 2005 He was an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation Wolfgang ClementBundesminister a D Ministerprasident a D MdL a D Clement in 2004Minister for Economics and LabourIn office 22 October 2002 22 November 2005ChancellorGerhard SchroderPreceded byWerner Muller Economic Affairs and Energy Walter Riester Labour and Social Affairs Succeeded byMichael Glos Economics and Technology Franz Muntefering Labour and Social Affairs Minister President of North Rhine WestphaliaIn office 27 May 1998 22 October 2002DeputyMichael VesperPreceded byJohannes RauSucceeded byPeer SteinbruckMinister of Economy and medium sized Businesses Technology and Transportation of North Rhine WestphaliaIn office 17 July 1995 9 June 1998Minister PresidentJohannes RauPreceded byGunther Einert Economy medium sized Businesses and Technology Succeeded byBodo HombachMinister for Special Affairs and Chief of the State Chancellery of North Rhine WestphaliaIn office 12 June 1990 17 July 1995Minister PresidentJohannes RauPreceded byKlaus Dieter LeisterSucceeded byRudiger FrohnParliamentary constituenciesMember of the Landtag of North Rhine WestphaliaIn office 1 June 1995 7 November 2002Preceded byGeorg AignerSucceeded byKarsten RudolphConstituencyBochum IIIn office 1 October 1993 1 June 1995Preceded byWilhelm VollmannSucceeded bymulti member districtConstituencySocial Democratic Party ListPersonal detailsBorn 1940 07 07 7 July 1940Bochum Gau Westphalia South German Reich now Germany Died27 September 2020 2020 09 27 aged 80 Bonn GermanyCause of deathLung cancerPolitical partyIndependentOther politicalaffiliationsSocial Democratic Party 1970 2008 Alma materUniversity of MarburgHe was known for being one of the architects of the Agenda 2010 labor market reforms under chancellor Gerhard Schroder in the early 2000s He was also credited with the merger of the federal ministry of economics and labor and the Hartz I through IV labor market reforms The labor and welfare reforms have been credited with reducing unemployment and contributing to Germany s growth years However the reforms have been a divisive topic and created a lasting rift between the leftists and the centrists at the SPD Contents 1 Education and career 2 Political career 2 1 Member of State Parliament 1993 2002 2 2 Minister President 1998 2002 2 3 Federal Minister of Economics and Labour 2002 2005 3 Life after politics 3 1 Corporate boards 3 2 Non profits 4 Personal life 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEducation and career EditClement was born on 7 July 1940 in Bochum North Rhine Westphalia and was the son of a bricklayer 1 He completed his schooling Abitur at the Graf Engelbert Schule in Bochum 2 He then completed his apprenticeship Volontariat de at the Westfalische Rundschau de newspaper in Dortmund He completed his degree in law at the University of Munster in 1965 including clearing the First State Examination a qualification that allowed him to teach 2 Clement later worked as an articled clerk and assistant at the Institute for Trial Law at the University of Marburg In 1968 he returned to the Westfalische Rundschau first as a political editor and went onto become the head of political department and then the deputy editor in chief of the newspaper 2 In 1986 Clement moved to the Hamburger Morgenpost where he remained as editor in chief until 1989 2 On 12 November 2004 he was presented with an honorary doctorate Dr h c by the Ruhr University in Bochum 3 Political career EditClement started his political career with the Social Democratic Party of Germany SPD in 1970 4 and was a member of the party until 2008 5 Between 1981 and 1986 he was a spokesman for the party s federal executive board and was also the deputy party whip between 1985 and 1986 6 In 1989 he was appointed head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine Westphalia NRW by then NRW Minister President Johannes Rau s government 7 He relinquished this position in favor of the position of State Minister of Special Tasks for NRW after the state elections in 1990 After the 1995 state elections he was the State Minister of Economics and Small Business Technology and Transport 8 Member of State Parliament 1993 2002 Edit Clement was a member of the State Parliament of North Rhine Westphalia from 1 October 1993 to 6 November 2002 2 Between 1994 and 2001 he was also was on the SPD State Executive in North Rhine Westphalia NRW 9 and was the deputy leader of the executive from 1996 9 He became a member of the SPD federal executive board in 1995 9 and served until his exit from the party in 2008 5 Minister President 1998 2002 Edit Clement was elected as Johannes Rau s successor as the Minister president of North Rhine Westphalia on 27 May 1998 10 With state debts in excess of 130 000 million marks DEM he announced drastic cuts and austerity measures including reduction in the size of his own cabinet 11 In one of his first moves on 17 June 1998 he announced the merger of the Justice and Interior ministries into one entity 12 There were doubts if this decision was compatible with the German Constitution as it was seen by some as a violation of the division of powers 13 On 9 February 1999 the Constitutional Court of North Rhine Westphalia ruled that the amalgamation violated the rights of the state parliament 14 In addition with pressure from coalition partner Bundnis 90 Die Grunen the Green party the merger was canceled He took on the responsibilities of justice minister for a brief period between 10 to 22 March 1999 before handing the position over to Jochen Dieckmann who served as the Justice Minister for NRW through the end of the legislature term on 27 June 2000 During this period Clement also served as the deputy chairman of the SPD from December 1999 In the 2000 state elections under his leadership the SPD received 42 8 of the votes a drop of 3 2 from the previous election 15 However the party was able to form a coalition government with the Green Party 16 In this coalition there were debates between Clement and the Green Party s Barbel Hohn who opposed the continuation of coal mining subsidies and the support for large industrial projects like the Garzweiler surface mine that were supported by Clement 17 After Clement started his term of office as state premier of North Rhine Westphalia on 27 May 1998 four ministers resigned or left their position early Minister for the Economy Bodo Hombach moved to Bonn as Minister of the Chancellery 18 Justice Minister Reinhard Rauball resigned after a week in position 19 Minister for European and Federal Affairs Detlev Samland de resigned due to tax misdemeanor 20 and Finance Minister Heinz Schleusser de Flugaffare de flights misuse 21 This was also the time when Clement proclaimed that the media industry in NRW would be the engine of structural change in the state The move however saw limited success An animation studio in Oberhausen received 50 million in funding as part of this program but generated limited employment in the end 22 In Clement s time in office as the state premier of NRW four parliamentary investigative committees or Parlamentarische Untersuchungsausschusse PUAs were set up 23 Review of state enterprises 24 High Definition Oberhausen HDO PUA II 25 High Definition Oberhausen HDO PUA III 25 and Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale 26 Federal Minister of Economics and Labour 2002 2005 Edit Wolfgang Clement with the then Indian Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram during a ministerial state visit to New Delhi India April 2005 After the 2002 federal elections Clement was part of the Social Democrats team in negotiations with the Green Party on a new coalition agreement for a government under the leadership of Chancellor Gerhard Schroder He gave up his office of Minister President of NRW on 21 October 2002 and was appointed Federal Minister of Economics and Labour in the new government led by Schroder 27 In this role he was taking over the newly created so called super ministry that had been formed by the amalgamation of the Economic and Labour ministries 28 4 The prevailing social democratic thinking in Europe was re shaped by the Schroder Blair paper of 1999 a joint working paper between German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder and British Prime Minister Tony Blair which introduced the third way or Neue Mitte in that a social democratic future required a comprehensive economization of society with the state withdrawing from the markets and other welfare measures 29 This represented an abrupt U turn with respect to the exiting programs of the SPD In continuation of this thinking Schroder and Clement came up with the Agenda 2010 series of reforms where the economy was given more freedom and labor market reforms starting with the Hartz I through IV programs were introduced 30 31 Agenda 2010 was announced as the single largest reform efforts in post war Germany and included a set of actions that sought to rethink how the government organized education social security and employment 32 The market reforms relaxed labor market restrictions and reduced social benefits in a bid to boost employment 31 33 The reforms emerged to be a divisive topic in Germany with a section of the business community stating that these reforms laid the foundation for the sustainable and employment intensive recovery that took off in 2005 31 The labor and welfare reforms have been credited with reducing unemployment and contributing to Germany s growth years 28 However the reforms led to a rift between the left and centrist sections of the SPD driven by oppositions from the trade unions and social organizations ultimately resulting in the split Germany s center left and led to the creation of the far left party Die Linke and significantly weakened the SPD 31 34 35 Following the 2005 elections Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor on 22 November 2005 36 and Clement was replaced by Michael Glos 37 On 31 July 2008 Clement was expelled from the SPD 38 by the Landesschiedskommission i e State arbitration board of NRW after making a statement in which he advised against voting for the SPD Clement went to the superior Bundesschiedskommission Federal arbitration board which subsequently cancelled the verdict on 24 November 2008 On 25 November Clement announced his decision to leave the party 5 He went on to support the Free Democratic Party led by Christian Lindner but did not join the party 39 Life after politics Edit Clement in 2019 After leaving politics Clement held various paid and unpaid positions In 2006 he was appointed by the employers and employees organizations of Germany s construction sector the German Construction Confederation ZDB the Central Federation of the German Construction Industry HDB and IG Bauen Agrar Umwelt IG BAU to mediate in a dispute over salary increases 40 In 2018 he again helped the two sides to agree on a pay hike of roughly 6 percent for more than 800 000 construction workers 41 In 2007 Clement was awarded the Mercator Visiting Professorship for Political Management at the Universitat Essen Duisburg s NRW School of Governance 42 In 2017 Federal Minister of Health Hermann Grohe appointed Clement as Special Commissioner for Germany s candidacy to become the new headquarters of the European Medicines Agency EMA 43 He was also an honorary member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation 44 In addition he was a member of multiple corporate boards and non profit organizations below Corporate boards Edit Deutsche Wohnen AG Member of the Supervisory Board since 2011 45 Peter Dussmann Foundation Member of the Board of Trustees since 2011 46 Energy Consulting Group Member of the Board of Directors since 2009 47 Daldrup amp Sohne AG Chairman of the Supervisory Board since 2008 48 Citigroup Member of the German Advisory Board since 2006 49 M DuMont Schauberg Member of the Supervisory Board since 2006 50 Wolters Kluwer Deutschland Chairman of the Advisory Board since 2006 49 Dussmann Verwaltungs AG Member of the Supervisory Board since 2005 51 RiverRock Member of the Advisory Board since 2009 52 RSBK Strategie Beratung Kommunikation AG Member of the Advisory Board 53 Shepard Fox Communications Chairman of the Advisory Board 54 DIS AG Member of the Supervisory Board until 2016 55 Non profits Edit Ostinstitut Wismar Chairman of the Board 56 Bonner Akademie fur Forschung und Lehre praktischer Politik BAPP Member of the Board of Trustees 57 German Cancer Research Center DKFZ Member of the Advisory Council 58 Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne Member of the Advisory Board 59 Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Law at the University of Bochum Board of Trustees 60 Hertie School of Governance Member of the Board of Trustees 61 Friends of the Berlin State Opera Member of the Board of Trustees 62 Free Democratic Party FDP Member of the Business Forum 63 Personal life Edit Wolfgang Clement during the Radio Regenbogen Award 2019 at Europapark Rust Baden Wurttemberg Germany April 2019 Wolfgang Clement married his wife Karin in 1966 and went on to have five daughters and thirteen granddaughters 64 3 He died at his home in Bonn on 27 September 2020 at the age of 80 He had been suffering from lung cancer 65 66 Clement s work ethic was praised by colleagues across both sides of the aisle Peer Steinbruck his successor as the President Minister of NRW recollecting their time together in NRW noted that he could work with a sensationally low need for sleep working at his desk until 11 PM before heading out to Rhondorf in Dusseldorf s old town for Altbiers before returning to work at 7AM Der Spiegel noted that Er konne zwolf Glas Bier schneller trinken als andere zwolf Korn or that he could drink twelve glasses of beer faster than others could drink twelve shots 67 68 He had also won a beer drinking contest by downing a glass of Kolsch beer in 1 5 seconds at a German beer association ceremony in Cologne being held at the 487th anniversary of the Beer purity law or Reinheitsgebot in 2003 In his own words the secret was Man muss nur das Zapfchen zuruckklappen or that You just have to fold back the uvula 68 69 See also EditHartz plan Agenda 2010References Edit SPIEGEL Hans Jurgen Schlamp DER 27 September 2020 Zum Tod von Wolfgang Clement Vom Superminister zum Un Sozialdemokraten DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b c d e Landtag NRW Abgeordneten Wolfgang Clement Landtag NRW in German Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b Zeitgenossische Portrats Manner Wolfgang Clement Bochum de in German Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b Ehemaliger SPD Politiker Wolfgang Clement ist tot Die Zeit Online in German Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b c Wolfgang Clement Der Impulsive Frankfurter Allgemeine in German 25 November 2008 Archived from the original on 14 October 2018 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Dr h c Wolfgang Clement Kloepfel Consulting in German Archived from the original on 17 May 2019 Retrieved 27 September 2020 SPIEGEL Hans Jurgen Schlamp DER 27 September 2020 Zum Tod von Wolfgang Clement Vom Superminister zum Un Sozialdemokraten DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clement Sein Leben in Bildern T Online de in German Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b c Wolfgang Clement NRW SPD in German Retrieved 27 September 2020 Zimmermann Elisabeth Wolfgang Clement Prime Minister of North Rhine Westphalia www wsws org Archived from the original on 17 October 2015 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Zimmermann Elisabeth Wolfgang Clement Prime Minister of North Rhine Westphalia www wsws org Archived from the original on 17 October 2015 Retrieved 27 September 2020 KONZENTRATION UND ERNEUERUNG Regierungserklarung von Ministerprasident Wolfgang Clement gehalten am 17 Juni 1998 PDF in German 17 June 1998 p 4 Archived from the original PDF on 20 September 2009 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Die Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer und der Deutsche Richterbund lehnen die Zusammenlegung von Innen und Justizministerium in NRW ab in German 25 June 1998 Archived from the original on 23 October 2004 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Gescheiterte Fusion in German 4 April 2005 Archived from the original on 4 April 2005 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Amtliches Endergebnis fur das Land Nordrhein Westfalen Wahler Gebnisse Nordrhein Westfalen in German Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 27 September 2020 NRW Koalition Alte Minister neue Zustandigkeiten Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 24 April 2016 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Clement will gegen die Okosteuer kampfen Die Welt in German Archived from the original on 29 April 2019 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Bodo und die Detektive Focus Magazin in German 1999 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Rauball nach einer Woche zuruckgetreten Die Welt in German 10 March 1999 Archived from the original on 25 April 2019 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Die Ereignisse im April Manager Magazin in German Archived from the original on 28 April 2012 Retrieved 27 September 2020 GESTORBEN Heinz Schleusser Der Spiegel in German 17 July 2020 Archived from the original on 14 June 2013 Retrieved 27 September 2020 SPIEGEL DER 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern Der Agenda Mann DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Parlamentarische Untersuchungsausschusse des Landtages NRW in German 1 November 2003 Archived from the original on 15 January 2005 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Aufnahme der Arbeit des von der CDU beantragten parlamentarischen Untersuchungsausschusses im Landtag NRW zur Prufung der Landesgesellschaften in German 15 July 2003 Archived from the original on 18 September 2004 a b Von der CDU beantragte parlamentarische Untersuchungsausschusse im Landtag NRW zur Prufung aller Vorgange und Missstande in Bezug auf das Technologiezentrum HDO in German 11 September 2004 Archived from the original on 16 January 2005 Von der CDU beantragter parlamentarischer Untersuchungsausschuss im Landtag NRW zur Prufung aller Vorgange und Umstande die Fluge betreffen die mit Mitgliedern der Landesregierung oder Mitgliedern des Landtags Nordrhein Westfalen mit der Charterfluggesellschaft PJC eigenen Flugzeugen der WestLB oder sonstigen von der WestLB gecharterten ab der 10 Legislaturperiode durchgefuhrt wurden in German 4 August 2003 Archived from the original on 15 March 2007 Wolfgang Clement tot Politiker trauern Ex Wirtschaftsminister mit 80 Jahren verstorben News de in German Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b Former German super minister Wolfgang Clement dies aged 80 Deccan Herald 27 September 2020 Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Peter Schwarz Britain s Blair and Germany s Schroder present a joint programme The Third Way Neue Mitte Archived from the original on 28 September 2017 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clement gestorben Der Mann mit der Agenda 2010 Die Tageszeitung taz in German 27 September 2020 ISSN 0931 9085 Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 28 September 2020 a b c d Ehemaliger SPD Politiker Wolfgang Clement ist tot Die Zeit Online in German Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Welle www dw com Deutsche The much hated Hartz IV DW 9 February 2010 DW COM Archived from the original on 20 September 2018 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Deutsche Welle www dw com German Labor Minister Wants To Make Firing and Hiring Easier DW 22 January 2003 DW COM Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 SPIEGEL DER 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern Der Agenda Mann DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Welle www dw com Deutsche The much hated Hartz IV DW 9 February 2010 DW COM Archived from the original on 20 September 2018 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Merkel becomes German chancellor BBC News Archived from the original on 9 December 2005 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Ruhegehalt Michael Glos Focus de in German Archived from the original on 26 September 2017 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Social Democrats Oust Prominent Former Minister Archived 5 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine DW WORLD DE 31 July 2008 Retrieved on 31 July 2008 Welle www dw com Deutsche Wolfgang Clement ist tot DW 27 September 2020 DW COM in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Dietrich Creutzburg 7 May 2009 Wolfgang Clement Streitbarer parteiloser Schlichter Archived 29 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine Handelsblatt Michael Nienaber 12 May 2018 German construction workers seal inflation busting wage deal Archived 29 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine Reuters UDE Lehren fur NRW Gastprofessur fur Wolfgang Clement idw online de in German Archived from the original on 25 May 2018 Retrieved 24 May 2018 Grohe In Bonn the EMA can seamlessly continue its important work Archived 20 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Federal Ministry of Health press release of 7 August 2017 conVistaAlMar com ar Honorary Members The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation Archived from the original on 14 January 2020 Retrieved 28 September 2020 Wolfgang Clement on the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Wohnen AG permanent dead link Deutsche Wohnen AG press release of 7 July 2011 Board of Trustees Archived 6 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Peter Dussmann Foundation Wolfgang Clement becomes a member of the Board of Directors of Energy Consulting Archived 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Energy Consulting Group press release of 15 April 2009 Supervisory Board Archived 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Daldrup amp Sohne AG a b Konig Jens 22 January 2008 Ab in die Wirtschaft Die Tageszeitung in German Berlin Retrieved 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clement im Aufsichtsrat von M DuMont Schauberg Archived 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine M DuMont Schauberg press release of 13 June 2006 Board of Trustees Archived 6 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Peter Dussmann Foundation Wolfgang Clement Keynote Speaker London Speaker Bureau 28 April 2017 Archived from the original on 3 July 2017 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Advisory Board Archived 20 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine RSBK Strategie Beratung Kommunikation AG Advisory Board Archived 8 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Shepard Fox Communications Wechsel im Aufsichtsrat der DIS AG DIS AG Pressemitteilung PresseBox in German 15 June 2016 Archived from the original on 31 March 2019 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Board Archived 4 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine Ostinstitut Wismar Board of Trustees Archived 13 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine Bonner Akademie fur Forschung und Lehre praktischer Politik BAPP Advisory Council Archived 27 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine German Cancer Research Center DKFZ Clement Wolfgang 1 December 1996 Wirtschaftspolitische Perspektiven des Industriestandortes Nordrhein Westfalen Zeitschrift fur Wirtschaftspolitik in German 45 3 263 273 doi 10 1515 zfwp 1996 0302 ISSN 2366 0317 S2CID 157046807 Archived from the original on 10 June 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Institut fur Berg und Energierecht Ruhr Universitat Bochum in German Archived from the original on 2 July 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Ex Wirtschaftsminister Wolfgang Clement gestorben Eigentlich habe ich mir nie vorgestellt aktiver Politiker zu werden Deutschlandfunk in German 25 March 2010 Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Board of Trustees Archived 9 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Friends of the Berlin State Opera Business Forum Archived 28 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Free Democratic Party FDP Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern Der Agenda Mann DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel news website in German 27 September 2020 Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Former German super minister Wolfgang Clement dies aged 80 Deccan Herald 27 September 2020 Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clement is dead Tek Portal Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 Schlamp Hans Jurgen 27 September 2020 Zum Tod von Wolfgang Clement Vom Superminister zum Un Sozialdemokraten DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b SPIEGEL DER 27 September 2020 Wolfgang Clements Karriere in Bildern Der Agenda Mann DER SPIEGEL Politik Der Spiegel in German Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2020 German minister displays beer quaffing talent www iol co za Archived from the original on 29 September 2020 Retrieved 28 September 2020 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wolfgang Clement Wolfgang Clement Prime Minister of North Rhine Westphalia 1998 article at the World Socialist Web Site The International Raoul Wallenberg FoundationPolitical officesPreceded byJohannes Rau SPD Minister President of North Rhine Westphalia1998 2002 Succeeded byPeer Steinbruck SPD Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wolfgang Clement amp oldid 1131272860, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.