keel Germany’s first head of government of a federal state is dead. The social democrat Heide Simonis, until 2005 prime minister in Schleswig-Holstein, died on Wednesday, a few days after her 80th birthday, at home in Kiel, according to SPD state leader Serpil Midyatli.
Simonis was elected Prime Minister on May 19, 1993 in Kiel. She replaced Björn Engholm (SPD), who failed due to the aftermath of the Barschel scandal in 1987. First, Simonis led a one-party SPD government, then from 1996 to 2005 a red-green coalition.
Her political career ended spectacularly: in the prime ministerial election on March 17, 2005, a dissenter refused her vote in four rounds; because of this her re-election in the state parliament failed. Back then, after a close state election, Simonis wanted to continue governing with a red-green minority government – supported by the South Schleswig Voters’ Association (SSW), the party of the Danish minority.
After this failed, the then CDU state chairman Peter Harry Carstensen took over the helm in Kiel at the head of a grand coalition with the SPD. It is still unclear who prevented Simonis’ re-election – the votes were secret.
Simonis, who was born in Bonn, completed her studies in Erlangen, Nuremberg and Kiel in 1967 in the city on the Förde as a qualified economist. In 1969 she joined the SPD, for which she was elected to the Kiel Council in 1971. In 1976 Simonis moved to the Bundestag, where she later became a spokeswoman for the budget committee. In 1988 Engholm brought her into the Kiel cabinet as finance minister.
Simoni’s pointed statements attracted attention
From 1993 onwards, the self-confident politician led the state government for twelve years, which also included Peer Steinbrück, who later became SPD chancellor candidate, as Economics Minister until 1998. With often pointed statements on various political topics, Simonis often attracted attention in the media, but also occasionally offended his own party leadership.
After her fall as Prime Minister in 2005, Simonis took over the honorary chairmanship of the children’s charity Unicef Germany. At the beginning of 2008 she resigned from this post. On June 30, 2014, Prime Minister Torsten Albig (SPD) awarded Simonis honorary citizenship in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. She was the first woman to be honored. In recent years, Simonis has increasingly suffered from Parkinson’s disease. On the occasion of her 75th birthday (July 4, 2018), she was honored by the SPD with the Willy Brandt Medal.
Politicians and parties reacted to the news of death with sadness and great respect. The SPD party leadership recognized Simonis as an important advocate for social justice in Germany. “With Heide Simonis, Social Democracy is losing an important personality who made history,” said party chairmen Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has recognized Simonis as a role model for many in politics. “With her assertive manner, she convinced me as a young member of the Bundestag – including me,” wrote Scholz on Twitter. “As the first female Prime Minister of a federal state, she had a strong influence on Schleswig-Holstein. We mourn for them!”
You have shaped democracy far beyond the borders of Schleswig-Holstein, wrote Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in a letter of condolence on Wednesday. “What distinguished her as head of state of Schleswig-Holstein was her professional competence and her political talent, but also her humanity and empathy.”
Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) said, “I mourn the loss of a great politician and a passionate woman from Schleswig-Holstein”. The Prime Minister expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family. Günther said Heide Simonis made Schleswig-Holstein even more lovable with her personality, her commitment, her humanity and her straightforwardness.
Habeck: She was a strong, charismatic woman
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who comes from Schleswig-Holstein, described Simonis as an icon of his state. “As the newly crowned state chairman, I conducted my first coalition negotiations with Heide Simonis,” the Greens politician told the German Press Agency on Wednesday. The fact that Simonis was missing a vote in her planned re-election as prime minister in 2005 was a heavy blow for her. Nevertheless, in the weeks, months and years that followed, he always experienced Simonis as a strong, charismatic woman.
“She never lost her humor, her wit and her directness,” said Habeck. “Heide Simonis wrote history as the first female Prime Minister, as the representative of my state she was an icon.” His condolences and sympathy go to her relatives and friends.
Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki praised Simonis as a strong personality, a great prime minister, an extraordinary social democrat and a friend. With her many years of political work, she shaped Schleswig-Holstein and significantly increased the state’s weight in federal politics.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Monika Heinold (Greens), Schleswig-Holstein has lost a committed social democrat in Heide Simonis. “As the first female Prime Minister in Germany, she encouraged many women to demand and take on leadership responsibility,” said Heinold. She fondly remembers the nine years of working together in the red-green coalition. “Heide deserved to be able to enjoy her well-deserved retirement longer and healthier.”