Commissioner of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action for the Digital Economy and Start-ups
MdB. Beauftragte des BMWK für die digitale Wirtschaft und Startup-ups
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-christmann/
Anna Christmann, born on September 24, 1983, in Hannover, is a German political scientist and politician affiliated with the Alliance ’90/The Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen). Since 2017, she has served as a member of the German Bundestag. In January 2022, she was appointed Coordinator for German Aerospace by the federal government and was also named the Commissioner for Digital Economy & Start-ups.
Educational & Professional Background:
After completing her A-levels, Christmann moved to Heidelberg in 2002, where she pursued studies in Political Science, Economics, and Mathematics at the University of Heidelberg, culminating in a Master’s degree in 2008. During her studies, she worked for Theresia Bauer, a member of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament. She furthered her academic pursuits by obtaining a doctorate from the University of Bern on the topic of “The Limits of Direct Democracy.” As a part of her doctoral studies, she spent a semester at the University of California, Irvine. Subsequently, she briefly worked at the Center for Democracy at the University of Zurich.
In 2013, Christmann returned to Stuttgart to serve in the Ministry of Science, among other roles as office manager to State Science Minister Theresia Bauer.
Political Career:
Christmann has been an active member of the Alliance ’90/The Greens since 2003. In her university days, she was involved in the local student group of the party and was a member of the Heidelberg district executive committee. She is also a member of the non-partisan Europa-Union Deutschland, advocating for a federal Europe and European unification.
Her entry into parliamentary politics came when she was nominated as a candidate for the Bundestag in 2016, subsequently being elected in 2017. Representing her party, she serves as the spokesperson for Civic Engagement, as well as Innovation and Technology Policy. Her committee memberships include Education, Research, and Technology Assessment, Digital Agenda, and a subcommittee on Civic Engagement. Christmann also holds the role of chairwoman for the Artificial Intelligence Enquiry Commission. As of 2019, she became a member of the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly.
In the Bundestag elections of 2021, she secured her position again. By January 2022, she was designated as the Coordinator for German Aerospace and the Commissioner for Digital Economy & Start-ups under the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
Personal Life:
Anna Christmann is married and resides in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen with her husband and two children.
Recent News:
As of September 12, 2023, Anna Christmann, under her role in the Ministry for Economic Affairs, highlighted advancements in the start-up strategy in Germany. The federal government’s initiative aims to foster a conducive environment for start-ups, though some goals remain unachieved. The density of start-ups per capita in Germany lags behind some other countries, despite the recently approved strategies.
LinkedIn Profile Summary:
Anna Christmann has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2017 for the Alliance ’90/The Greens. Her roles have revolved around the committee for Education, Research, and Technology Assessment, and she has been a Deputy Member for Digital Matters. Between 2018-2020, she chaired the Enquiry Commission on Artificial Intelligence. In early 2022, she was appointed by the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as the Coordinator for German Aerospace and Commissioner for Digital Economy and Start-ups.
