Michael Kellner Explained

Honorific-Suffix:MdB
Michael Kellner
Office:Parliamentary State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Term Start:8 December 2021
Minister:Robert Habeck
Chancellor:Olaf Scholz
Office2:Member of the Bundestag for Uckermark – Barnim I
Term Start2:26 September 2021
Predecessor2:Sabine Stüber
Office3:Chief Executive of the Alliance '90/The Greens
Leader3:Annalena Baerbock
Robert Habeck
Term Start3:19 October 2013
Term End3:2022
Predecessor3:Steffi Lemke
Successor3:Emily Büning
Birth Date:8 May 1977
Birth Place:Gera, Thuringia, Germany
Nationality:German
Children:2
Residence:Berlin
Occupation:Politician

Michael Kellner (born 8 May 1977) is a German politician (Alliance 90/The Greens) who has been serving as a Member of the Bundestag representing electoral constituency Uckermark – Barnim I since 2021.[1] [2] [3]

In addition to his parliamentary work, Kellner has been serving as Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in the coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz since 2021.[4] In this capacity, he is also the Commissioner for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.[5]

Early life and education

After a stay at kibbutz in Israel,[6] Kellner studied political science at the University of Potsdam from 1996 to 2002.[7] In his thesis, he analyzed the relationship between the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg.[6]

Career

Kellner joined Alliance 90/The Greens in 1997.[6]

From 2004 to 2009, Kellner worked as chief of staff to Claudia Roth in her capacity as member of the Green Party's national leadership. He subsequently became a legislative advisor to Frithjof Schmidt.[6]

From 2013 to 2022, Kellner was his party's General Secretary.[8] [9] Following his switch into a government position, he was replaced in the role during a party convention in January 2022 by Emily Büning.[10]

Other activities

Controversy

In early 2022, Kellner became one of the six subjects of an embezzlement investigation launched by the Berlin public prosecutor's office into the entire leadership board of the Green Party over the payment of so-called ‘corona bonuses,’ which had been paid in 2020 to all employees of the party's federal office and at the same time to its board.[13]

Personal life

Kellner is married to Verena Graichen, who has been serving as deputy chair of the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) since 2019.[14] They have two children and live in Berlin and Oberuckersee.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Michael Kellner . Bundestag . 7 December 2021. de.
  2. News: Gabel . Michael . Grünen-Geschäftsführer Kellner will in den Bundestag . 7 December 2021 . MOZ.de . 31 August 2020. de.
  3. News: 25 Abgeordnete aus Brandenburg ziehen in den Bundestag ein . 7 December 2021 . . . 27 September 2021 . de.
  4. News: Kellner folgt Habeck ins Ministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz . 8 December 2021 . . Berliner Verlag . 2 December 2021 . de.
  5. Silke Kersting (5 January 2022), Bundesregierung: Das sind die neuen Beauftragten und Koordinatoren in wichtigen politischen Feldern Handelsblatt.
  6. Marion Kaufmann (6 June 2021), Grüne Spitzenkandidat:innen in Brandenburg: Die Zwei hinter Baerbock Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten.
  7. News: Kixmüller. Jan. Micha. Corinna. 2017-11-22. Von der Uni in die Bundespolitik. Der Tagesspiegel. 2021-12-07.
  8. News: Simone Peter und Cem Özdemir führen nun die Grünen . 7 December 2021 . . 19 October 2013 . de.
  9. News: Bundesvorstand bestätigt, Parteirat neu gewählt . 7 December 2021 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222121617/https://www.gruene.de/ueber-uns/bundesvorstand-bestaetigt-parteirat-neu-gewaehlt.html . 22 December 2015.
  10. News: Hackenbruch . Felix . Sie will bei den Grünen jetzt die Strippen ziehen . 8 February 2022 . Der Tagesspiegel . 30 January 2022 . German.
  11. https://www.helmholtz.de/en/about-us/structure-and-governance/statutes-and-governance/senate/members-of-the-senate/ Senate, as of February 2022
  12. https://www.boell.de/de/navigation/struktur-2230.html Supervisory Board
  13. Hans von der Burchard (19 January 2022), Senior German Green politicians under investigation over ‘corona bonuses’ Politico Europe.
  14. Bernhard Pötter (19 December 2021), Wirtschafts- und Klimaministerium: Energiewende als Familienprojekt Die Tageszeitung.