She wanted to become the Federal Minister of Health, but initially remained the Minister of Family Affairs, only to move to the top of the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry a month later. Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) has a lot of work ahead of her in her new job. Although the economic and financial crisis has bottomed out, the greatest burdens on the labor market are still expected to be felt.
The 51-year-old physician was initially considered a hot contender for the health ministry, and at the end of the coalition negotiations she confidently presented the agreement on reforming the healthcare system. The post then went to the FDP. For the time being, the mother of seven should continue to do what brought her much recognition during the past legislative period: Family policy.Von der Leyen stood out in the grand coalition, especially with fabulous poll numbers. With the parental allowance, she created a noticeable improvement for young families and secured a top place in the popularity list of top politicians. The daughter of the former Minister President of Lower Saxony, Ernst Albrecht (CDU), was the flagship minister in the cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and is expected to remain so for the next few years.Her ministry also still includes the areas of seniors, women and youth. Leyen eagerly promoted multigenerational homes and pushed through a stop-sign campaign for child porn sites on the Internet, which earned her not only approval but also criticism. Now she has to live with the nickname "Zensursula.Before her appointment to the federal cabinet, she was minister of social affairs in Lower Saxony. In 2004, she moved up to the CDU party presidium. Born in Brussels, the daughter of former Lower Saxony Prime Minister Ernst Albrecht (CDU) first studied economics and then discovered her passion for gynecology. She studied medicine in Hanover, earned a doctorate in gynecology and began a residency, but had to drop out because she followed her husband to the U.S. after marriage. Leyen is married to a medical doctor and lives near Hanover, Germany."With her experience as a state minister from Lower Saxony, but also as a federal family minister, she has all the prerequisites to successfully carry out this important office in the federal government," Merkel stressed Friday. Also new for the Brussels native is her entrenchment in the Bundestag, where von der Leyen entered for the first time.