Bundesregierung

Born on 2 July 1965 in Meckenheim; Roman Catholic; married; two sons, one daughter
 
1984
Obtained Abitur (school-leaving certificate giving right of entry to university)
 
1984 – 1989
studied law at Bonn University
 
1989
passed the first state examinations in law
 
1993
passed the  second state examinations in law
 
2001
Completed PhD
 
1993
Admitted to practise as a lawyer at Cologne Regional Court
 
1999
admitted to practise as a lawyer at Cologne Higher Regional Court
 
1982
Member of the Christian Democratic Union
 
since 1984
deputy chairman of the Rhein-Sieg county branch of the CDU
 
1992 – 1996
chairman of the Young Union (youth section of the CDU) in North-Rhine/Westphalia
 
since 1994
Member of the German Bundestag
 
2000 - 2004
deputy chairman of the group of parliamentarians from North-Rhine/Westphalia within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag from
 
since 2001
chairman of the federal association of Christian Democrat lawyers (BACDJ) since
 
2002 – 2005
spokesman on legal affairs for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag
 
2005 - 2009
First Parliamentary Secretary of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag from
 
since October 2009
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety