Serpil Midyatli (born 8 August 1975) is a German politician who has been serving as deputy leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), and chairwoman of the SPD in Schleswig-Holstein since 2019. She has been the Leader of the Opposition in Schleswig-Holstein since July 2021.
Political career
Midyatli joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany in 2000. She was part of the local municipal council in Kiel-Gaarden.[1] Midyatli has been a member of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein since the 2009 election.[2]
Midyatli's political topics of interest include social integration, equality, family policy, and other social issues.[3] She is considered part of the left wing within the Social Democratic Party.[4]
In March 2019 Midyatli became leader of the SPD in Schleswig-Holstein, succeeding Ralf Stegner to be the first woman in the office.[3] On 6 December she was elected as one of five deputy federal chairpersons of her party. Prior to this, she supported Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans in the leadership election.[5] Also succeeding Ralf Stegner, Midyatli became chairwoman of the party's parliamentary group in the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein and thereby leader of the opposition in July 2021.[6]
Business Forum of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Member of the Political Advisory Board (since 2020)[10]
Personal life
Midyatli was born in 1975 in Kiel, where she also grew up. Her parents are Turkish immigrants.[4] She is a Muslim, married, and has two sons.[11]
After graduating from the Realschule in 1992, Midyatli originally planned to study law. Instead she came to lead a restaurant owned by her parents at the age of 18.[12] She later ran a concert hall, a catering company, and founded a cultural event company with her husband.[1]
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