Serap Güler
{{Short description|German politician (born 1980)}}
{{Expand German|topic=bio|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Serap Güler
| office =
| image = Hart aber fair 2024-03-04-8261 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Güler in 2024
| term_end =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1980|7|7}}
| birth_place = Marl, West Germany
{{small|(now Germany)}}
| party = CDU (since 2009)
| children =
| alma_mater = University of Duisburg-Essen
| occupation =
| office1 = Member of the Bundestag
| office2 = Member of the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia
| termstart1 = 26 September 2021
| termstart2 = 13 May 2012
| termend2 = 26 September 2021
| constituency1 = CDU Party List
}}
Serap Güler (born 7 July 1980)[https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Serap-Gueler-fuehlt-sich-nicht-als-Alibi-article9688631.html Als neue Deutsche in der CDU Serap Güler fühlt sich nicht als Alibi] n-tv, 4 December 2012. is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) who has been serving as a Member of the German Bundestag since 2021, representing the Leverkusen – Cologne IV district.
In addition to her work in parliament, Güler has been serving as Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office in the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz since 2025.Burkhard Uhlenbroich and Florian Kain (28 April 2025), [https://www.bild.de/politik/inland/bild-exklusiv-merz-macht-top-manager-zum-digital-minister-680f1e4c7ebb0418fb764c03 Merz macht Top-Manager zum Digitalminister] Bild.
Early life and career
Güler grew up as the child of Turkish guest workers in Germany. After training as a hotel manager, she graduated in communication studies and German studies from University of Duisburg-Essen.Daniel Box (5 December 2012), [https://taz.de/Serap-Gueler-in-Unions-Vorstand-gewaehlt/!5077891/ Serap Güler in Unions-Vorstand gewählt: Blitzkarrierefrau bei der CDU] Die Tagesszeitung.
Upon graduation, Güler worked as advisor to State Minister for Generations, Family, Women and Integration Armin Laschet and State Minister of Health {{ill|Barbara Steffens|lt=Barbara Steffens|de}}.Daniel Box (5 December 2012), [https://taz.de/Serap-Gueler-in-Unions-Vorstand-gewaehlt/!5077891/ Serap Güler in Unions-Vorstand gewählt: Blitzkarrierefrau bei der CDU] Die Tagesszeitung.
Political career
Güler was elected to the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia in the 2012 North Rhine-Westphalia state election; at the time, she was her parliamentary group’s first member of Turkish origin.Daniel Bax (5 December 2012), [https://taz.de/Serap-Gueler-in-Unions-Vorstand-gewaehlt/!5077891/ Serap Güler in Unions-Vorstand gewählt: Blitzkarrierefrau bei der CDU] Die Tageszeitung. From 2012 until 2017, she served as her parliamentary group’s spokesperson on integration.
In 2015, Güler was part of a CDU working group on a reform of Germany’s legislation on immigration, chaired by Armin Laschet.Johannes Kulms (24 July 2015), [https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/armin-laschet-cdu-verspricht-konzept-fuer-100.html Armin Laschet: CDU verspricht Konzept für Einwanderungsgesetz] Deutschlandfunk.Jürgen Zurheide (25 July 2015), [https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/einwanderungsgesetz-gueler-nennt-bisherige-regelung-100.html Einwanderungsgesetz: Güler nennt bisherige Regelung technokratisch] Deutschlandfunk. Together with Thomas Strobl, Peter Hintze, Michael Kretschmer, David McAllister, {{ill|Christina Schwarzer|lt=Christina Schwarzer|de}} and Annette Widmann-Mauz, she co-chaired the CDU’s 2015 national convention in Karlsruhe.[https://www.kas.de/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=51820aaa-2f21-e948-9544-ffbf29dc9499&groupId=252038 Protokoll: 28. Parteitag der CDU Deutschlands, 14. – 15. Dezember 2015, Karlsruhe] Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU).
Following the 2017 state elections, Güler was appointed State Secretary of Integration at the State Ministry for Children, Families, Refugees, and Integration, in the cabinet of Minister-President Armin Laschet.Georg Ismar and Maria Kotsev (16 May 2021), [https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/nrw-staatssekretaerin-serap-gueler-im-interview-muessen-gegen-diese-haessliche-fratze-des-antisemitismus-klare-antworten-finden/27193842.html NRW-Staatssekretärin Serap Güler im Interview: "Müssen gegen diese hässliche Fratze des Antisemitismus klare Antworten finden"] Der Tagesspiegel. In the negotiations to form a fourth coalition government under Chancellor Angela Merkel following the 2017 federal elections, she was part of the working group on migration policy, led by Volker Bouffier, Joachim Herrmann and Ralf Stegner.
= Member of the German Parliament, 2021–present =
In the 2021 German federal election, Güler contested Leverkusen – Cologne IV but came second to Karl Lauterbach. She was elected to the Bundestag on the state list.{{Cite web|title=Ergebnisse Leverkusen – Köln IV - Der Bundeswahlleiter|url=https://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/bundestagswahlen/2021/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-5/wahlkreis-101.html|access-date=26 November 2021|website=www.bundeswahlleiter.de}} She has since been serving on the Defence Committee.[https://www.bundestag.de/abgeordnete/biografien/G/gueler_serap-860942 Serap Güler] Bundestag. She also joined a study commission set up to investigate the entire period of German involvement in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021 and to draw lessons for foreign and security policy in future.Stefan Heinlein (19 September 2022), [https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/lehren-aus-afghanistan-interview-mit-michael-mueller-spd-dlf-471e0db1-100.html Müller (SPD): Gremium wird den gesamten Afghanistan-Einsatz beleuchten] Deutschlandfunk.
Since 2022, Güler has been serving as deputy chair – alongside Mario Voigt – of a working group in charge of drafting the CDU’s new party platform, under the leadership of Carsten Linnemann.Sabine am Orde (8 February 2022), [https://taz.de/CDU-Kommission-wird-breit-gefuehrt/!5830726/ CDU-Kommission wird breit geführt] Die Tageszeitung.
In the negotiations to form a coalition government under the leadership of Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst following the 2022 state elections, Güler was part of her party’s delegation.Rainer Striewski and Martin Teigeler (18 May 2022), [https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/landespolitik/landtagswahl-2022/gespraeche-sondierung-cdu-gruene-100.html Zwei Stunden Abtasten zwischen CDU und Grünen] Westdeutscher Rundfunk.
In the 2025 German federal election, Güler was a direct candidate in Cologne I and achieved 23.6% of the first vote narrowly coming second to Sanae Abdi who got 24.9%.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-24 |title=Sanae Abdi (SPD) holt meiste Stimmen in Wahlkreis 92: Köln I - Ergebnisse der Bundestagswahl im Detail |url=https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/bundestagswahl-2025/wahlkreise-nrw-ergebnisse-wk092-100.html |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www1.wdr.de |language=de}}
Since April 2025, Güler has been the chairwoman of the CDU in Cologne; she is the first woman to hold that position.Peter Berger (5 April 2025), [https://www.ksta.de/koeln/serap-gueler-ist-die-neue-vorsitzende-der-koelner-cdu-999668 Historische Wahl: Serap Güler ist die neue Vorsitzende der Kölner CDU] Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger
Political positions
File:2016-12-06 Serap Güler CDU Parteitag by Olaf Kosinsky-2.jpg
Güler is a part of the social wing of the CDU, and is a member of the Christian Democratic Employees' Association.{{Cite web|date=17 March 2013|title=Muslimische CDU-Abgeordnete Güler arbeitet beim Kolpingwerk mit|url=http://www.cibedo.de/aktuellenachrichten709531872256.html|access-date=26 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317085850/http://www.cibedo.de/aktuellenachrichten709531872256.html|archive-date=17 March 2013}}
As a practising Muslim, Güler opposes abortion.{{Citation|title=CDU-Bundesvorstand Serap Güler - Jung & Naiv: Folge 491| date=13 December 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdV8qQY0yv4|language=en|access-date=26 November 2021}} She opposes children being forced to wear hijab.{{Cite web|date=7 April 2018|title=NRW: Integrationsministerium regt Kopftuchverbot für kleine Mädchen an|url=https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/landespolitik/kopftuchverbot-gueler-100.html|access-date=26 November 2021|website=www1.wdr.de|language=de}}
Güler is a critic of President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.{{Cite news|last=Frigelj|first=Kristian|date=5 June 2013|title=Interview: "Es wurde Zeit, dass Menschen auf die Straße gehen"|language=de|work=DIE WELT|url=https://www.welt.de/regionales/koeln/article116853439/Es-wurde-Zeit-dass-Menschen-auf-die-Strasse-gehen.html|access-date=26 November 2021}}
Other activities
- Islamkolleg Deutschland (IKD), Member of the Board of Trustees[https://www.islamkolleg.de/das-islamkolleg/ Board of Trustees] Islamkolleg Deutschland (IKD).
- Institute for European Politics (IEP), Member of the Board of Trustees[https://iep-berlin.de/en/about/curators/ Board of Trustees] Institute for European Politics (IEP).
- Otto Benecke Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees[https://www.obs-ev.de/service/ueber-uns/kuratorium-1 Board of Trustees] Otto Benecke Foundation.
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cci}}
{{Members of the 20th Bundestag}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Güler, Serap}}
Category:Members of the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia
Category:21st-century German women politicians
Category:German politicians of Turkish descent
Category:Members of the Bundestag for North Rhine-Westphalia
Category:Members of the Bundestag 2021–2025
Category:Female members of the Bundestag
Category:Members of the Bundestag for the Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Category:German anti-abortion activists
Category:University of Duisburg-Essen alumni
Category:People from Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia