Lisa Paus: From finance expert to family minister

Lisa Paus was previously a financial expert for the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag – now she is to become Federal Minister for Family Affairs. This is surprising at first sight. But points of contact have existed for a long time.

So the retreat of the green party leadership was not planned. But Anne Spiegel’s resignation on Monday completely upset the agenda. And so there was a lot of talking and conferencing – in a small circle in the “Alten Gymnasium” in Husum, but also in intensive exchange with the rest of the party. Green Party leader Ricarda Lang narrowed down the criteria on Tuesday. It depends on the competence. And: “It will be a woman.”

Many names have been speculated on since Monday. The name of the woman who is now to become Federal Minister for Family Affairs did not play a major role. Now it is clear: Lisa Paus, financial expert of the Green parliamentary group, will take over from Anne Spiegel. Like her predecessor, the 53-year-old belongs to the left wing of the party.

Heart issue child security

Paus was born in Rheine in Münsterland. “Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik” is only a few kilometers away and is now run by her older brothers. After graduating from high school, Lisa Paus first moved to Hamburg, where she did a voluntary social year in a children’s home. Later he went to Berlin to study economics and political science. In the capital she has been active in the Greens since 1995. As Berlin’s top candidate, she took part in the federal election campaign last year.

The fact that the single mother of a son is now moving to the head of the family ministry seems surprising at first glance. As Chairwoman of the Greens, she sits on the Finance Committee of the Bundestag. Among other things, she was active in the Wirecard committee of inquiry. In this respect, the Greens will have to explain why the choice for the Spiegel successor now fell on the deputy parliamentary group leader. There are points of contact: Very early on, she dealt with “basic child security”. Now the project is an important project of the traffic light government. It will be Lisa Paus’ job to promote and implement the introduction.

A lot of work awaits Paus

The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs is excited about the “new girl” and hopes that she will stay longer than her predecessors. Just over a year ago, Franziska Giffey resigned because of allegations of plagiarism. The Minister of Justice at the time, Christine Lambrecht, also took over the post in the Ministry for Family Affairs. An interim solution until the new elections. Anne Spiegel followed, staying just under 120 days and leaving behind a long list of tasks. In the coalition agreement, the traffic light coalition has made a number of things that need to be initiated in the Ministry for Family Affairs.

The cornerstones of the transsexual law, which is intended to replace the self-determination law, which has been controversial for years, should be in place before the parliamentary summer break. The Democracy Promotion Act is also eagerly awaited by many, especially associations that are dependent on subsidies. So far there is only one discussion paper for this.

For most projects, however, cooperation with other ministries is necessary – for example with the self-determination law with the FDP-led Ministry of Justice, with the Democracy Promotion Act with the SPD-led Ministry of the Interior. The prestige project of the traffic light, the basic child security, is more of a long-distance run. A working group is to present key points by the end of 2023. So far, the ministry has said that it will be happy if the new family support comes before the end of the legislature. The project is complex.

Spiegel successor: Lisa Paus is to become the new Federal Minister for Family Affairs

Sabine Henkel, ARD Berlin, April 14, 2022 10:58 a.m