Christoph Matschie

Christoph Matschie

Christoph Matschie (born July 15, 1961 in Mühlhausen) is a German politician and leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the state of Thuringia. He is also deputy Minister-President of Thuringia.

Matschie grew up in East Germany. From 1984 to 1989 he studied Theology at the University of Rostock and the University of Jena and earned a diploma. He joined the newly founded Social Democratic Party of East Germany in October 1989. Following the German reunification Matschie became a member of the SPD and was a member of the Bundestag from 1990 to 2004. During the legislative period from 1998 to 2002 he was a member of the federal executive board of his party's group in the Bundestag.

Matschie has been chairman of the SPD in Thuringia since 1999. He was his party's candidate for Minister-President at the State elections of 2004 and 2009. The SPD remained third strongest party in the state, but managed to form a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Union in 2009. Matschie became deputy of Minister-President Christine Lieberknecht.

References

• Biography at www.thueringer-landtag.de
• Matschies Große Koalition kann kaum gestoppt werden

External links

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