Stefan Birkner (born 12 April 1973) is a German lawyer and politician for the Free Democratic Party (FDP). From 2011 to 2023, he chaired the FDP in Lower Saxony.Konstantin Kuhle ist neuer FDP-Landeschef in Niedersachsen Norddeutscher Rundfunk, 11 March 2023.
Political career Birkner was elected to the State Parliament of Lower Saxony in the 2008 state elections. However, in February 2008 he left the Landtag to become a State Secretary for the State Minister of the Environment in the second cabinet Wulff, Hans-Heinrich Sander. He was replaced by Christian Grascha. From January 2012 until 2013, he served as State Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Protection in the government of Minister-President David McAllister.
In September 2017, Birkner succeeded Christian Dürr as chairman of the FDP's parliamentary group.
In the negotiations to form a so-called traffic light coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Green Party and the FDP following the 2021 federal elections, Birkner led his party's delegation in the working group on environment policy; his co-chairs from the other parties were Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter (SPD) and Steffi Lemke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen).Andreas Apetz and Thomas Kaspar (October 22, 2021), Ampel-Koalition: Alle Verantwortlichen, AGs und Themen im Überblick Frankfurter Rundschau.
Birkner was nominated by his party as a delegate to the Federal Convention to elect the President of Germany in 2022.Drucksache 18/10450: Niedersächsische Mitglieder der 17. Bundesversammlung am 13. Februar 2022 State Parliament of Lower Saxony.
Life after politics In February 2023, Birkner joined consulting firm Ernst & Young.Lars Laue (10 March 2023), Nach Wahlschlappe: Mit Doppelspitze? Wie die Niedersachsen-FDP sich wieder aufrichten will Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. In April 2023, he was nominated by Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Volker Wissing to lead the executive board of the Autobahn GmbH, a state-owned entity;Jens Tartler (14 April 2023), Seriöses Auswahlverfahren gefordert: SPD und Grüne torpedieren Wissings Spitzen-Mann für die Autobahn GmbH Der Tagesspiegel. amid public criticism around the appointment, he withdrew his name from consideration.Reinhard Bingener (18 June 2023), Wissings Wunschkandidat für Autobahngesellschaft sagt ab Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Other activities Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA), Alternate Member of the Advisory Board (2012–2013)
Personal life Birkner was born in Münsterlingen.
He is married. His brother-in-law is fellow politician Robert Habeck.Teresa Havlicek (16 August 2012), FDP-Spitzenkandidat in Niedersachsen: Der leise Liberale Die Tageszeitung.
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