Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Frank-Walter Steinmeier ([ˈfʁaŋkˌvaltɐ ˈʃtaɪ̯nˌmaɪ̯.ɐ]; born 5 January 1956) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) who has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2013. He currently serves as Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) with regard to 2016 German chairmanship of the OSCE. Steinmeier was a close aide of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, serving as Chief of Staff in the German Chancellery from 1999 to 2005. He subsequently served as Foreign Minister (2005–2009) and Vice Chancellor (2007–2009) in the grand coalition government of Angela Merkel. In 2008, he briefly served as acting chairman of his party, and he was the SPD's candidate for Chancellor in the 2009 federal election.
Steinmeier is known as a reform-minded moderate within the SPD and associated with the Schröder government's controversial drive to overhaul the welfare state.
Early life and education
Steinmeier was born in Detmold, the son of a carpenter. Following his Abitur, he served his military service from 1974 until 1976. He then studied law and political science at the Justus-Liebig-Universität of Gießen, where his fellow students included Brigitte Zypries. In 1982 he passed his first and 1986 his second state examination in law. He worked as scientific assistant to the professor of public law and political science at the Gießen university, until he obtained his doctorate of law in 1991. His dissertation explored the role of the state in the prevention of homelessness.