Alexander Schweitzer from the Palatinate is the winner within the party in the poker game to succeed Dreyer. The 50-year-old is considered a proven power politician with good connections to the federal SPD.
When the Social Democrat Alexander Schweitzer moved from the parliamentary group chairmanship to the government after the 2021 state election, there was talk of the new “super minister”. The responsibilities of the ministry tailored to the ambitious Palatinate native are numerous: social affairs, labor, transformation and digitalization. When it came to the question of who would succeed Malu Dreyer as Prime Minister and Roger Lewentz as party leader, his name was always mentioned and he was always given good chances.
The 50-year-old has long been considered the party’s charming beacon of hope. He is also considered a power politician – who can wait. The 2.06 meter tall man is a big fan of the football club 1. FC Kaiserslautern, but his personal favorite sport is basketball. “I used to play center for Bad Bergzabern,” he says. But he gave up his basketball career for politics.
Schweitzer is well connected in the state party and travels a lot around the country. He also regularly speaks out on federal politics and has good connections to the Berlin SPD. He has been a member of the federal party’s executive board since 2017.
Schweitzer is considered a rhetorical talent. As parliamentary group leader of the largest government party from 2014 to 2021, he made many a statement, was often impulsive, argued with passion and never stuck to the script.
Born in Landau, he studied law in Mainz. He then became Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, a member of the state parliament and SPD Secretary General. In Malu Dreyer’s first government, he was Minister of Social Affairs (2013/14) – at the time the youngest cabinet member at the age of 39.
The man from the southern Palatinate is vegan. He is married and has two sons and a daughter. The FCK fan is also chairman of the Fritz Walter Foundation, which is committed to promoting youth sports and exchange with Central and Eastern Europe.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
