Markus Söder

Markus Thomas Theodor Söder was born on 5 January 1967. He is a German politician from Bavaria, Germany. He has been the Minister-President of Bavaria since 2018. In this role, he leads the government of one of Germany’s most important states.

Söder is also the leader of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), a major political party in the region. He has held this role since 2019. His work focuses on issues important to Bavaria and Germany, such as education, the economy, and public safety.

As a well-known figure in German politics, Söder helps shape policies and decisions that affect many people’s daily lives. His leadership and ideas are important in discussions both in Bavaria and across Germany.

Background, education and military service

Markus Söder was born in Nuremberg, Germany. After finishing school in 1986, he did his compulsory year of military service. He then studied law at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg. In 1998, he earned a doctorate in law. From 1992 to 1994, he worked with Bayerischer Rundfunk, a public television and radio network, before becoming a full-time politician.

Political career

Markus Söder has been a member of the Landtag, the state parliament of Bavaria, since 1994. He worked closely with Edmund Stoiber and helped make agreements with other parties.

Söder became Minister-President of Bavaria in 2018 after Horst Seehofer moved to a federal position. He was elected with strong support from lawmakers. In 2019, he became the leader of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped with important decisions. He continues to lead the CSU and works on issues like protecting the environment and keeping Germany strong.

Role in national politics

Markus Söder helped choose the President of Germany many times from 1999 to 2022. He worked with other leaders to talk about important topics like health care, money, and banking after big elections in 2009 and 2013. He worked with people like Ursula von der Leyen, Wolfgang Schäuble, and Olaf Scholz to make decisions for Germany.

Other activities (selection)

Markus Söder has many important jobs in companies and groups that help the community.

In companies, he is the chairman of the supervisory board for Munich Airport and Nuremberg Airport. He has also worked with groups like KfW and BayernLB.

He also helps many non-profit groups. He works with the Bavarian Research Foundation, the Deutsches Museum, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), the Staatstheater Nürnberg, the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, and football club 1. FC Nürnberg. He has also helped the Munich International Film Festival for some years.

Political positions

Markus Söder has shared many ideas about how Germany and Europe should work. During a big money problem in Greece, he thought Greece should leave a special group of countries that share one type of money, called the Eurozone.

At home in Bavaria, Söder supported a plan to publish a special version of a famous old book by Adolf Hitler. This was to help people understand its dangerous ideas better. He also decided that public buildings in Bavaria should show crosses, not as religious signs, but as part of the state’s culture.

During the time when many people from other countries came to Europe looking for safety, Söder had different ideas from Germany’s leader at the time. He believed that refugees should go back home when they could.

When a serious health problem called COVID-19 spread in Germany, Söder was the first leader in his state to close things down to keep people safe. This made many people like him more. He also talked about the importance of people getting a special medical treatment to stay healthy.

Recognition

In 2024, Markus Söder received a special degree from Tsinghua University. The degree shows respect for his work as a leader in Bavaria, Germany.

Personal life

Markus Söder married Karin Baumüller in 1999. They have three children together, and he also has a daughter from an earlier relationship. He is a member of the Protestant Church in Germany. During carnival, he sometimes wears fun costumes, like Shrek and Marilyn Monroe.