{{Short description|German politician (born 1974)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Manuela Schwesig | image = Visita - Manuela Schwesig e comitiva (54003160965).jpg | honorific_suffix = [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|MdL]] [[Bundesrat of Germany|MdBR]] | caption = Schwesig in 2024 | office2 = [[President of the German Bundesrat|President]] of the [[German Bundesrat|Bundesrat]] | 1blankname2 = {{nowrap|[[German Bundesrat#Presidency|First Vice President]]}} | 1namedata2 = [[Peter Tschentscher]] | term_start2 = 1 November 2023 | term_end2 = 31 October 2024 | predecessor2 = Peter Tschentscher | successor2 = [[Anke Rehlinger]] | office = [[List of ministers-president of Mecklenburg#Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1990–present)|Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] | term_start = 4 July 2017 | term_end = | deputy = [[Lorenz Caffier]]<br />Harry Glawe<br />[[Simone Oldenburg]] | predecessor = [[Erwin Sellering]] | successor = | office1 = Leader of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] of [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] | 1blankname1 = {{nowrap|General Secretary}} | 1namedata1 = [[Julian Barlen]] | deputy1 = Stefan Sternberg<br />[[Nadine Julitz]]<br />[[Christian Pegel]]<br />[[Erik von Malottki]]<br />[[Reem Alabali-Radovan]] | term_start1 = 2 June 2017 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = [[Erwin Sellering]] | successor1 = | office4 = [[Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany|Leader]] of the<br/>[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] | status4 = Acting | alongside4 = [[Malu Dreyer]], [[Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel]] | 1blankname4 = {{nowrap|General Secretary}} | 1namedata4 = [[Lars Klingbeil]] | term_start4 = 3 June 2019 | term_end4 = 10 September 2019 | predecessor4 = [[Andrea Nahles]] | successor4 = [[Norbert Walter-Borjans]]<br />[[Saskia Esken]] | office5 = Deputy Leader of the<br/>[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] | alongside5 = | leader5 = [[Sigmar Gabriel]]<br />[[Martin Schulz]]<br /> [[Andrea Nahles]] | term_start5 = 13 November 2009 | term_end5 = 10 September 2019 | predecessor5 = [[Peer Steinbrück]] | successor5 = [[Klara Geywitz]] | office6 = [[Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth|Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth]] | chancellor6 = [[Angela Merkel]] | term_start6 = 17 December 2013 | term_end6 = 2 June 2017 | predecessor6 = [[Kristina Schröder]] | successor6 = [[Katarina Barley]] | office7 = First Vice President of the [[German Bundesrat|Bundesrat]] | term_start7 = 1 November 2024 {{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Cabinet |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes | office8 = [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Minister of Labour, Equality and Social Affairs]] |1blankname8 = {{nowrap|[[List of ministers-president of Mecklenburg#Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1990–present)|Minister-President]]}} |1namedata8 = {{ubl|[[Erwin Sellering]]}} | term_start8 = 25 October 2011 | term_end8 = 16 December 2013 | predecessor8 = ''herself'' {{small|(Social Affairs)}}<br />Jürgen Seidel {{small|(Labour)}} | successor8 = [[Birgit Hesse]] | office9 = [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Minister of Health and Social Affairs]] |1blankname9 = {{nowrap|[[List of ministers-president of Mecklenburg#Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1990–present)|Minister-President]]}} |1namedata9 = {{ubl|[[Erwin Sellering]]}} | term_start9 = 6 October 2008 | term_end9 = 25 October 2011 | predecessor9 = Erwin Sellering | successor9 = ''herself'' {{small|(Social Affairs)}}{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}} {{Collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |''Landtag'' constituencies |titlestyle=border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes |office10 = Member of the<br />[[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] <br /> for [[Schwerin|Schwerin I]] |term_start10 = [[2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election|26 October 2021]] |term_end10 = |predecessor10 = [[Erwin Sellering]] {{small|(2019)}} |successor10 = |term_start11 = [[2011 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election|4 October 2011]] |term_end11 = 14 January 2014 |predecessor11 = Gottfried Timm |successor11 = Dagmar Kaselitz{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}} | birth_name = Manuela Frenzel | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|5|23|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Frankfurt (Oder)]], [[Bezirk Frankfurt|Bezirk Frankfurt (Oder)]], [[East Germany]] {{small|(now [[Brandenburg]], [[Germany]])}} | death_date = | party = [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] {{small|(2003–)}} | spouse = {{plainlist| *{{marriage|Stefan Schwesig|2000}} }} | occupation = {{hlist|Politician|Tax Investigator|Civil Servant}} | children = 2 | alma_mater = ''Fachhochschule für Finanzen Brandenburg'' | website = {{URL|https://manuela-schwesig.de/|Official website}} }} '''Manuela Schwesig''' ({{IPA|de|manuˈeːla ˈʃʋeːzɪç}};<ref>[https://youtube.com/lDQ5AWq5dnk YouTube] {{dead link|date=May 2023}}</ref> ''{{née}}'' '''Frenzel''',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moz.de/lokales/seelow/seelowerin-im-kabinett-48097406.html|title=Seelowerin im Kabinett|work=Märkische Onlinezeitung|date=16 December 2013|language=de}}</ref> born 23 May 1974) is a German politician of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] serving as [[List of Ministers-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Minister President]] of [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] since 4 July 2017, becoming the first woman to serve in that post. Previously she served as [[Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Germany)|Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth]] in the [[Third Merkel cabinet|third cabinet]] of [[Angela Merkel]] from 2013 to 2017. She was [[President of the German Bundesrat|President of the Bundesrat]] from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesrat.de/DE/bundesrat/praesidium/praesident/praesident-node.html|title=Manuela Schwesig, Präsidentin des Bundesrates|work=Der Bundesrat|date=20 October 2023|language=de}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Born in [[Frankfurt (Oder)]],<ref name=ms>{{Cite web|url=http://www.manuela-schwesig.de/lebenslauf/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204000033/http://www.manuela-schwesig.de/lebenslauf|url-status=dead|title=Manuela Schwesig's website|archive-date=4 December 2015|accessdate=24 May 2023}}</ref> [[East Germany]], Schwesig grew up in the nearby town of [[Seelow]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bild.de/regional/berlin/die-juengste-ministerin-deutschlands-6018114.bild.html |title=Deutschlands jüngste Ministerin |newspaper=[[Bild]] |date=4 October 2008 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article4211475/Die-erstaunliche-Karriere-von-Steinmeiers-Maedchen.html |title=Die erstaunliche Karriere von Steinmeiers Mädchen |newspaper=[[Die Welt]] |date=28 July 2009 |language=de}}</ref> In 1990, she played a small acting role in the [[DEFA]] film ''Forbidden Love'', which had the title ''Verbotene Liebe'' in the original German and which was directed by Helmut Dziuba.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.defa-stiftung.de/filme/filmsuche/verbotene-liebe/ | title =Verbotene Liebe | website =Filmdatenbank | date =19 April 1990 | publisher =DEFA Stiftung | access-date =21 September 2020 }}</ref> After graduation in 1992 from the Gymnasium auf den Seelower Höhen,<ref name=ms/> she completed studies in higher civil service ([[tax administration]]) of the federal state of [[Brandenburg]]. She attended the Training and Further Education Centre (''Fachhochschule für Finanzen'') in [[Königs Wusterhausen]].<ref name=ms/>
==Political career== ===Career in local politics=== Schwesig became a member of SPD in 2003, at the age of 29. She subsequently served as a member of the [[Schwerin]] City Council from 2004 to 2008.
===Career in national politics=== Schwesig became a Federal Deputy Leader of the SPD on 13 November 2009 alongside [[Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel]] and [[Olaf Scholz]] (and later [[Aydan Özoğuz]] and [[Ralf Stegner]]). She was then appointed State Minister of Social Affairs and Health in [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] on 6 October 2008, under the leadership of [[List of Ministers-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Minister‐President]] [[Erwin Sellering]]. She served as minister and became member of the [[Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] from 4 September 2011 until she joined the federal government.
Ahead of the [[2009 German federal election|2009 elections]], German Foreign Minister [[Frank-Walter Steinmeier]] included Schwesig, then a relatively unknown face to the German public, in his [[shadow cabinet]] of 10 women and eight men for the Social Democrats' campaign to unseat incumbent [[Angela Merkel]] as Chancellor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Benoit |first=Bertrand |title=Lagging SPD starts campaign |url=https://www.ft.com/content/0e9d8278-7d3d-11de-b8ee-00144feabdc0 |date =30 July 2009 |access-date=19 October 2014 |website=www.ft.com}}</ref> During the campaign, Schwesig served as shadow minister for family affairs<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rising Star Paves Path to a Family Friendly Germany |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,640425,00.html |work=[[Spiegel Online]] |date=8 April 2009 |accessdate=4 September 2010 }}</ref> who advocated the party's family-friendly policies.<ref name="PatrickDonahue2013">{{Cite news |last=Donahue |first=Patrick |title=Merkel's Third-Term Cabinet: Social Democratic Party Ministers |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-15/merkel-s-third-term-cabinet-social-democratic-party-ministers.html |date=15 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101184426/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-15/merkel-s-third-term-cabinet-social-democratic-party-ministers.html |archive-date=1 November 2014 |access-date=23 November 2014 |work=Bloomberg |url-status=live }}</ref>
Schwesig was a SPD delegate to the [[Federal Convention (Germany)|Federal Convention]] for the purpose of electing the [[President of Germany]] in 2010, 2012, [[2017 German presidential election|2017]] and [[2022 German presidential election|2022]].<ref>[https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/878348/b21e5621b2f3de04e328535bd589e151/mitglieder_bv_2022-data.pdf 17th Federal Convention, 13 February 2022, List of Members] [[Bundestag]].</ref>
In 2011, Schwesig led high-level talks with Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] and Labor Minister [[Ursula von der Leyen]] for the then-opposition Social Democrats on reaching a compromise over how to increase basic social welfare benefits for the unemployed.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dempsey |first=Judy |date=9 February 2011 |title=Merkel Breaks Off Talks With Opposition |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/world/europe/10iht-germany10.html |access-date=19 October 2014 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Following the [[2013 German federal election|2013 elections]], Schwesig served as the Social Democrats' main negotiator in the working group for families, women and equal opportunities when Germany's two largest parties, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc and the left-leaning Social Democrats, held talks on forming a broad coalition government.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Torry |first=Harriet |date=18 November 2013 |title=30% Female Quota for German Boards Proposed |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303531204579205452997816042 |access-date=19 October 2014 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>
===Federal Minister of Family Affairs, 2013–2017=== In the [[third Merkel cabinet]], Schwesig, who at 39 was the youngest cabinet member,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buergin |first=Rainer |date=22 January 2014 |title=Schaeuble as Merkel's Dr. No Holds Coalition Purse Strings |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/schaeuble-as-merkel-s-dr-no-to-control-coalition-purse-strings.html |access-date=19 October 2014 |website=Bloomberg}}</ref> became the [[Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Germany)|Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth]] – a position also occupied by Merkel in her first cabinet post under German Chancellor [[Helmut Kohl]] in the early 1990s.<ref name=PatrickDonahue2013 />
At an SPD convention in late 2015, Schwesig received 93 percent of members' ballots, the best result of any of the party leadership.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Gabriel abgestraft, Stellvertreter gestärkt |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/spd-parteitag-121.html |date=11 December 2015 |access-date=12 December 2015 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}}</ref> Shortly after, the party's board mandated Schwesig and [[Thomas Oppermann]] with the task of drafting an electoral program for the 2017 federal elections.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 November 2015 |title=Oppermann und Schwesig sollen SPD-Wahlprogramm entwerfen |url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/vorab/oppermann-und-schwesig-sollen-spd-wahlprogramm-entwerfen-a-1061486.html |access-date=19 December 2015 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}</ref>
=== Minister‐president of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 2017–present === On 30 May 2017, Schwesig announced that she would seek the succession of [[Erwin Sellering]] as [[Minister-President|Minister‐president]] of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 May 2017 |title=Schwesig will auf Ministerpräsident Sellering folgen |trans-title=Schwesig wants take succession of Prime Minister Sellering |url=https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Ministerpraesident-Sellering-tritt-zurueck,sellering746.html |language=de |work=NDR |access-date=2 June 2017 |archive-date=2 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602095610/http://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Ministerpraesident-Sellering-tritt-zurueck,sellering746.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> As consequence, she resigned as federal minister, the resignation taking effect on 2 June.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 May 2017 |title=Schwesig will sich weiter in Bundespolitik einschalten |trans-title=Schwesig wants to remain active in federal politics |url=https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Schwesig-will-sich-weiter-in-Bundespolitik-einschalten,schwesig388.html |language=de |work=NDR |access-date=2 June 2017 }}</ref> On 4 July 2017, Schwesig became Minister‐president of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
As one of the state's representatives at the [[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]], Schwesig serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs. She also chairs the German-Russian Friendship Group set up by the Bundesrat and the [[Federation Council (Russia)|Russian Federation Council]].
In the negotiations to form a [[Fourth Merkel cabinet|fourth]] coalition government under Merkel following the [[2017 German federal election|2017 federal elections]], Schwesig led the working group on education policy, alongside [[Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer]], [[Stefan Müller (politician)|Stefan Müller]] and [[Hubertus Heil]].
Together with [[Doris Ahnen]], [[Niels Annen]], [[Oliver Kaczmarek]] and [[Anke Rehlinger]], Schwesig co-chaired the SPD's extraordinary 2018 convention, during which the party elected [[Andrea Nahles]] as its first-ever female leader.<ref>[https://www.spd.de/fileadmin/Dokumente/Beschluesse/Bundesparteitag/Protokoll_des_ausserordentlichen_Parteitags_in_Wiesbaden_22.4.2018.pdf Protokoll des außerordentlichen Bundesparteitages Wiesbaden, 2018] [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD).</ref>
From June 2019, Schwesig – together with her party colleagues [[Malu Dreyer]] and [[Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel]] – was chosen as the SPD's interim leader, following former leader [[Andrea Nahles]]' decision to step down and leave politics. In September 2019, Schwesig announced she had been diagnosed with [[breast cancer]] and would step down from her duties at national level.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mischke |first=Judith |date=10 September 2019 |title=German Social Democrat leader to resign after breast cancer diagnosis |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/german-social-democrat-leader-to-resign-after-breast-cancer-diagnosis/ |access-date=12 September 2019 |website=POLITICO}}</ref>
In 2019, she was appointed by the [[Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community]] to serve on the committee that oversaw the preparations for the 30th anniversary of [[German reunification]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=30 Jahre Friedliche Revolution und Deutsche Einheit |url=https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/DE/2019/04/30-jahre-deu-einheit.html |date=3 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124212225/https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/DE/2019/04/30-jahre-deu-einheit.html |archive-date=24 January 2025 |access-date=17 August 2019 |website=Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat |language=de-DE |url-status=live }}</ref>
Schwesig led the SPD into the [[2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election|2021 state election]]. Though the CDU had led the polls throughout 2020, the SPD experienced a major resurgence from July. By this time, Schwesig had established herself as a prominent and popular figure both within the state and across the country. The party's campaign was heavily based around her, running with the slogan "Die Frau für MV" ("the woman for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern"). The SPD a landslide victory with 39.6% of votes while the AfD, CDU, and Left all suffered losses. They chose to seek a coalition government with the Left, breaking the grand coalition with the CDU after fifteen years in power.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/mecklenburg-vorpommern-neue-regierung-schwesig-100.html|title="The woman for MV" and her new government|date=15 November 2021|language=de|website=[[ZDF]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/inhalt.landtagswahl-mecklenburg-vorpommern-wie-spd-powerfrau-manuela-schwesig-ihren-schicksalsschlaegen-trotzt.53db2efe-8ea2-4a10-8381-475cf4860340.html|title=How SPD power woman Manuela Schwesig defies her blows of fate|date=27 September 2021|language=de|website=[[Stuttgarter Nachrichten]]}}</ref>
==Political positions==
===Child protection=== Schwesig is a member of the German Child Protection League. Her main focus is to fight [[child poverty]] and provide for good state childcare facilities. In 2009 she supported the idea promoted by [[Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Germany)|Minister]] [[Ursula von der Leyen]] to block websites featuring [[child pornography]].
On her order the employees of nursery schools in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have to declare their commitment to uphold the principles of Germany's basic laws (the constitution).
===Advancement of women=== [[File:2015-12 Manuela Schwesig SPD Bundesparteitag by Olaf Kosinsky-14.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Schwesig in 2014]] In 2014, Schwesig helped introducing a bill mandating compulsory quotas for women on the [[supervisory board]]s of the Germany's top companies,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smale |first=Alison |date=26 November 2014 |title=Germany Planning Quotas for Women in Boardrooms |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/27/world/europe/germany-to-mandate-womens-membership-on-corporate-boards.html |access-date=6 December 2014 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> which was passed in early 2015. Also in early 2015, she called for a law that would force companies to allow female employees to see how their salaries compare with those of male colleagues.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Osborne |first=Louise |date=2 March 2015 |title=Plan for 'equal wages' law in Germany meets with strong industry opposition |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/02/plan-equal-wages-law-germany-strong-industry-opposition |access-date=11 March 2015 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Meanwhile, she has been championing a substantial expansion of state-sponsored child care facilities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Child care subsidy unlawful – DW – 07/21/2015 |date=21 July 2015 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-court-rules-controversial-child-care-subsidy-unlawful/a-18597124 |access-date=25 July 2015 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 2016, Schwesig successfully introduced changes to Germany's maternity protection legislation by expanding the laws to include groups of women not explicitly covered (including school and university students, women working as interns, and women pursuing vocational training) and attempting to reduce bureaucratic red tape.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zuvela |first=Matt |title=Cabinet approves additional maternity protection – DW – 05/04/2016 |date=4 May 2015 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/added-protections-for-expecting-and-nursing-mothers-pass-german-cabinet/a-19233866 |access-date=7 May 2016 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref>
Alongside [[Dietmar Woidke]], Schwesig was instrumental in the Bundesrat's 2020 selection of Ines Härtel as the [[Federal Constitutional Court]]’s first judge from East Germany.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hähnig |first=Anne |last2=Machowecz |first2=Martin |last3=Wefing |first3=Heinrich |date=1 July 2020 |title=Ines Härtel: Eine Richterin als der ultimative Kompromiss |url=https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2020-07/ines-haertel-bundesverfassungsgericht-richterin-ostdeutschland-juristin-viadrina-professorin |access-date=5 July 2020 |work=Die Zeit |language=de-DE |issn=0044-2070}}</ref>
===Political extremism=== In a 2014 lawsuit before the [[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany]], the far-right [[National Democratic Party of Germany]] (NPD) complained about comments made by Schwesig during that year's parliamentary election campaign for the state of Thuringia. In a newspaper interview, Schwesig had said: "The number one goal is that the NPD does not make it into the parliament." The NPD accused the minister of breaching her duty of neutrality and interfering with the campaign, and made a complaint before the Federal Constitutional Court. The court ruled in December 2014 that Schwesig did not damage the NPD's right to a level playing field because her comments fell under the "political struggle of opinion."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Far-right party loses challenge – DW – 12/16/2014 |date=16 December 2014 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/far-right-npd-party-loses-case-over-german-ministers-opinion/a-18134279 |access-date=1 February 2015 |website=dw.com}}</ref>
==Controversy== ===Nord Stream 2=== In her role as Minister President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Schwesig stated her strong support for Nord Stream 2: "We believe that it is right to build the pipeline. Nobody who is working on building the pipeline is doing anything wrong. The ones doing something wrong are those who are trying to stop the pipeline."<ref name="auto">{{Cite news |last1=Escritt |first1=Thomas |last2=Marsh |first2=Sarah |date=2022-02-11 |title=Explainer: How a German 'climate' fund set out to help Russia dodge U.S. sanctions |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/how-german-climate-fund-set-out-help-russia-dodge-us-sanctions-2022-02-10/ |access-date=2022-03-05}}</ref> Her government created a foundation with the explicit goal, as written in its charter, of completing the [[Nord Stream 2]] pipeline.<ref name="auto"/> Amid a 2020 diplomatic row over the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, three U.S. senators − [[Ted Cruz]], [[Tom Cotton]], and [[Ron Johnson]] – sent a letter to a Baltic Sea port operator in Schwesig's state, threatening the port's managers with “crushing legal and economic sanctions” if they continued to support the project servicing the Russian ships laying the pipe. In response, Schwesig called the letter "blackmail".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karnitschnig |first=Matthew |date=10 August 2020 |title=Germany blames Trump in pursuit of Nord Stream 2 pipeline |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-plays-trump-card-in-pursuit-of-russian-nord-stream-2-pipeline-dream/ |access-date=17 August 2020 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}</ref>
After the poisoning of opposition figure [[Alexei Navalny]], Schwesig insisted it should have no effect on the construction of the pipeline. Ultimately, the project was cancelled after the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]]. Furthermore, Schwesig was revealed to have been colluding with the Russians, allowing [[Gazprom]] to run PR for the pipeline via her office and modifying her public speeches in accordance with the Russian demands.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics-navalny-germany-nords-idUSKBN2622MP|title = Nord Stream 2 should not be used to punish Russia, says German state leader|newspaper = Reuters|date = 11 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/german-state-leader-manuela-schwesig-colluded-with-russians-on-gas-pipeline-m0hgn70l9|title=German state leader Manuela Schwesig 'colluded with Russians on gas pipeline'|last1=Berlin|first1=James Jackson}}</ref>
Schwesig has been listed by ''[[Politico]]'' among 12 Germans who got played by Putin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/blame-germany-russia-policy/|title=12 Germans who got played by Putin|date=5 May 2022|accessdate=24 May 2023}}</ref>
In February 2022, Schwesig lost a court case against member of the [[Bundestag]] [[Christoph Ploß]]. She had demanded he limit his criticisms of her politics but a district court determined that it was well within allowed freedom of expression.<ref name="tagesschau">{{cite news|title=Beziehungen zu Russland: Schwesig schwenkt um|periodical=Tagesschau.de|publisher=|url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/schwesig-nordstream-zwei-101.html|date=23 February 2022 |access-date=2022-12-15|last=Stefan Ludmann |language=de|pages=|quote=[translated]: And now there is a legal defeat: Schwesig failed before the district court in Hamburg in an attempt to have the CDU member of the Bundestag, Christoph Ploß, ban critical statements about their course in Russia. The prime minister felt misrepresented. }}</ref><ref>sueddeutsche.de / dpa (22. February 2022): [https://www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/justiz-hamburg-schwesig-scheitert-mit-unterlassungsantrag-gegen-ploss-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-220222-99-244525 ''Schwesig scheitert mit Unterlassungsantrag gegen Ploß'']</ref><ref>[[Legal Tribune Online|lto.de]]: [https://www.lto.de/recht/hintergruende/h/ploss-schwesig-unterlassung-nord-stream-gorski-conrad-brost/ ''Zulässige Meinung oder Falschzitat?'']</ref><ref>[[Arnd Diringer]], [https://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/plus237310629/Schwesig-Steuerzahler-soll-Kosten-des-Rechtsstreites-zahlen-Verdacht-auf-Untreue.html ''Rechtsstreit auf Kosten des Steuerzahlers''], [[DIE WELT]] from 26. February 2022</ref>
In January 2023, controversy arose over contacts Schewesig had with various people as part of [[Reuters]] research into Russian influence in Germany and German politics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Falcón |first=Belén Ríos |date=2022-10-07 |title=The Gazprom-Lobby |url=https://correctiv.org/latest-stories/2022/10/07/gazprom-lobby-germany/?lang=en |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=correctiv.org |language=en-US}}</ref> She had contact with Oleg Eremenko who had formerly worked for the [[GRU (Russian Federation)|Russian secret service (GRU)]] and now is the owner of a construction company in Berlin.<ref name=tspiegel20230104>[https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/moskaus-einflussnahme-in-deutschland-manuela-schwesig-und-der-russische-geheimdienstler-9127480.html Moscow's influence in Germany : Manuela Schwesig and the Russian secret service agent], Tagesspiegel, 4 January 2023.</ref> Event records show Eremenko was in contact during 2016 with [[Igor Girkin]], a colonel in the Russian military intelligence service GRU, who had played a leading role in the [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|Russian intervention in the Donbas]] and the [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|Russian annexation of Crimea]] in 2014. "Schwesig's spokesman Andreas Timm said ... that there had been 'no scheduled meeting' between the Prime Minister and Eremenko [and that] she took part in the event at the invitation of the city of [[Greifswald]]."<ref name=tspiegel20230104/>
In March 2024 media reported that Schwesing had intervened into the process of publication of an declaratively independent report on the options for closure of ''Stiftung Klima- und Umweltschutz MV'' (Climate and Environment Protection Foundation) which served as a Gazprom-sponsored lobbyist for Nord Stream 2. Schwesing manually deleted paragraphs from the report that suggested that closure of the foundation is feasible and desirable.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thiele |first=Ulrich |date=2024-03-07 |title="Vertuschungsversuche auf höchster Regierungsebene": Änderungen von Klimastiftungs-Gutachten sorgt für scharfe Kritik an Manuela Schwesig |url=https://www.businessinsider.de/politik/gutachten-zur-klimastiftung-geaendert-scharfe-kritik-an-manuela-schwesig/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Business Insider |language=de-DE}}</ref>
==Other activities== * [[Franco-German Youth Office]] (FGYO), Ex-officio co-chair of the Board of Governors * [[Friedrich Ebert Foundation]] (FES), Member<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mitgliederversammlung der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung |url=https://www.fes.de/ueber-uns/ueber-die-friedrich-ebert-stiftung/organigramm-und-gremien/mitgliederversammlung |access-date=29 July 2018 |website=www.fes.de}}</ref> * [[Deutsche Telekom]], Yes, I can! Initiative for Children and Young People, Member of the Board of Trustees * [[Deutsches Museum]], Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Trustees<ref>{{Cite web |last=Museum |first=Deutsches |title=Deutsches Museum: Board of trustees |url=http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/about-us/board-of-trustees/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113022916/https://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/about-us/board-of-trustees/ |archive-date=13 January 2021 |access-date=9 July 2017 |website=www.deutsches-museum.de |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> * [[Plan (aid organisation)|Plan International Deutschland]], Member of the Board of Trustees * ''[[Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie]]'', Member * German Association for the Protection of Children (DKSB), Member * German Forum for Crime Prevention (DFK), Member of the Board of Trustees * [[Mecklenburg State Theatre]], Member of the Supervisory Board * ''Total E-Quality'' initiative, Member of the Board of Trustees<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=TOTAL E-QUALITY Deutschland e. V. |url=https://www.total-e-quality.de/de/der-verein/kuratorium/ |access-date=21 July 2018 |website=TOTAL E-QUALITY Deutschland e.V. |language=de}}</ref>
==Personal life== Schwesig is married and has two children.<ref>{{cite news|title= Bundesfamilienministerin: Schwesig bringt Tochter zur Welt|newspaper=Spiegel Online|date=8 March 2016|url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/familienministerin-schwesig-bringt-zweites-kind-zur-welt-a-1081271.html|language=de}}</ref>
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2019 and subsequently resigned from her party offices at the federal level.<ref>{{cite news|title= Ministerpräsidentin Schwesig über Krebserkrankung: "Ich habe schon einige Kämpfe in meinem Leben geführt"|newspaper=Spiegel Online|date=10 September 2019|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/manuela-schwesig-spricht-ueber-ihre-krebserkrankung-a-1286075.html|language=de}}</ref> She later confirmed that the cancer was curable and underwent medical treatment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wsau.com/news/articles/2019/sep/10/rising-star-of-germanys-spd-quits-as-interim-party-chief-due-to-illness/935704/|title=Rising star of Germany's SPD quits as interim party chief due to illness|accessdate=10 September 2019|website=WSAU}}</ref> On 12 May 2020, she announced that she had overcome the illness.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/manuela-schwesig-hat-krebstherapie-erfolgreich-abgeschlossen-a-c861d50b-aef6-4ed0-a92e-4c796a752781|title=Manuela Schwesig hat Krebstherapie erfolgreich abgeschlossen|date=12 May 2020|publisher=Spiegel Online|access-date=12 May 2020|language=de}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.manuela-schwesig.de/}} {{commons category-inline|Manuela Schwesig}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Kristina Schröder]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth|Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth]]|years=2013–2017}} {{s-aft|after=[[Katarina Barley]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Erwin Sellering]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of ministers-president of Mecklenburg|Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]|years=2017–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-bef|before=[[Peter Tschentscher]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[President of the German Bundesrat|President of the Bundesrat]]|years=2023–2024}} {{s-aft|after=[[Anke Rehlinger]]}} {{s-end}} {{Navboxes |title=Manuela Schwesig navigational boxes |list = {{Cabinet Merkel III}} {{Ministers-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}} {{Current Germany states Minister Presidents}} {{Presidents of the German Federal Council}} }} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwesig, Manuela}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:21st-century German politicians]] [[Category:21st-century German women politicians]] [[Category:Converts to Lutheranism]] [[Category:German Lutherans]] [[Category:Federal government ministers of Germany]] [[Category:Leaders of political parties in Germany]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Frankfurt (Oder)]] [[Category:People from Seelow]] [[Category:Minister-presidents of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] [[Category:Ministers for children, young people and families]] [[Category:Presidents of the German Bundesrat]] [[Category:Social Democratic Party of Germany politicians]] [[Category:Women federal government ministers of Germany]] [[Category:Women's ministers of Germany]] [[Category:Women minister-presidents in Germany]] [[Category:Ministers of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state government]] [[Category:Women ministers of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state government]] [[Category:Members of the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] [[Category:People from Bezirk Frankfurt]]