On May 19, 1993, the Kiel state parliament became the focus of public interest - far beyond the state borders of Schleswig-Holstein:Heide Simonis was elected Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein with 46 out of 88 votes, making her the first woman to be elected Head of a state.
When the President of the State Parliament Ute Erdsieck-Rave announced the result at 3:31 p.m., her words were almost lost in the jubilation of the SPD parliamentary group. "Courage, luck and female strength", Erdsieck-Rave wishes the newly crowned.
In addition to the Social Democrats, Karl Otto Meyer from the South Schleswig Voters' Association (SSW), representative of the Danish minority, also voted for Simonis. The first to congratulate her is her predecessor Björn Engholm. He had previously resigned because of a false testimony in the investigative committee about the Barschel affair.
Congratulations from Chancellor Kohl
"Schleswig-Holstein will not have it easy. But we will make it together," explains Simonis after her election. Telegrams of congratulations from Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU), SPD parliamentary group leader Hans-Ulrich Klose and Henning Voscherau (SPD), the First Mayor of Hamburg, reach the newly crowned Prime Minister. "What I experienced in the last 14 days was sheer madness. I felt like a two-headed monster. In one day I gave non-stop interviews for five hours," Simonis recalled in an interview with the "Süddeutsche Zeitung". take office.
Cabinet list causes a lot of criticism
Simonis' cabinet list has been heavily criticized by the opposition and the press.There is plenty of headwind for Simonis when it comes to the allocation of cabinet posts. "False start", "journey to Jerusalem" or "missed opportunity" are the reactions of the opposition and the press. Simonis has had to take a lot of criticism, especially for her decision not to take Economics Minister Uwe Thomas into her new cabinet. "Personal differences" she gives as the reason. His successor is Peer Steinbrück.
The whereabouts of the independent environment minister, Berndt Heydemann, also met with a lack of understanding. FDP faction leader Kubicki speaks of a "completely disastrous cabinet list". This is the reason why the Liberals voted against Simonis in the prime ministerial election. The fierce criticism is probably the reason why Simonis cancels an already announced government statement at short notice.
How do you argue with a female president?
Simonis - here with her husband Udo - is a passionate hat wearer. The press likes to report on her fashionable outfit.Not only Simonis herself has to find her way in her new role. The media and political parties are also wondering how to deal with a woman in this position and how to report on her. While the press initially focuses on the prime minister's externals, such as her hats and rings, the opposition still has to practice arguing:"She's a lady. That sets certain limits to possible attacks," says CDU politician Ottfried Henning in an interview. "Heide Simonis can do what men can do, and what women can do, she can do as well," Minister Gisela Böhrk once explained in an interview about her boss.
First SPD woman on the budget committee
Heide Simonis joins the SPD in 1969. From 1971 to 1976 she was a councilwoman in Kiel. In 1976 she won the constituency of Rendsburg-Eckernförde. In doing so, she prevailed against the popular president of the farmers' association, Karl Eigen, and was the youngest member of the German Bundestag. She is sent by her party to the budget committee - as the first woman in the SPD parliamentary group. She has been a member of the committee for eleven years.
In 1988, Björn Engholm called her to Kiel as Minister of Finance. She is taking on a difficult task because the country's debts are at record levels. She quickly made a name for herself as a tough budget politician - also as the chief negotiator for public employers for collective agreements in the public sector. "I sit like a hen on someone else's money" is one of her mottos.
The "Heide-Murderer" brings the political end
To this day, it is not known who refused Heide Simonis' vote.The highlight of her career was the post of prime minister from 1993. In 1996, the SPD lost its absolute majority, but formed a coalition with the Greens, with Simonis at the head. 2000 the government is confirmed. She will remain in office until 2005, when the spectacular political end will come. A member of parliament refuses to follow Simonis after the state elections. In four rounds of voting, Simonis did not achieve a majority. Peter Harry Carstensen (CDU) inherits Simonis. To this day, it is not publicly known who the "Heide murderer" is.