Katrin Haben Schaden moved to Munich in 2002. Previously, she attended the Sigena-Gymnasium in Nuremberg and first completed training as a bank clerk and then studying to become a qualified business economist. After this, she worked at the Sparkasse – first in Nuremberg, later in Munich.
In 2009 she joined the Alliance90/The Greens party. Five years later she was elected to the Munich city council. The next promotion follows in May 2018: Together with Florian Roth, she moves to the top of the faction that forms the Green and Pink Lists. At that time, a coalition of the CSU and SPD still had the say in Munich City Hall.
May 2018: Florian Roth and Katrin Haben Schaden present themselves in the Munich City Hall as parliamentary group leaders of the city council Greens.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
In November 2018, Katrin Haben Schaden demonstrated her claim to power for the first time. The second mayor, Josef Schmid (CSU), is moving to the state parliament, Haben Schaden not only decides to run against Manuel Pretzl (CSU) in the election of his successor, she also announces that she will replace the incumbent Dieter Reiter (SPD) as the Green Party’s candidate for mayor in March 2020 ) to want to challenge. “I have decided that I will throw my hat in the ring,” said Haben Schaden.
For the election against Schmid, Haben Schaden was unanimously nominated by the Green Party’s city council faction. The vote ends with 54 votes for Pretzl – Haben Schaden receives 19.
Freestyle in the Kesselhaus: With 97.77 percent, Katrin Haben Schaden was chosen as mayor candidate in March 2019.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
In March 2019, the Greens set the course for the local elections in March 2020. At the city meeting in the Kesselhaus, they nominated their “pragmatic parliamentary group leader” (SZ about Haben Schaden) as challenger to Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) with 97.77 percent of the vote. To the cheers of more than 200 party friends, Haben Schaden said: “We have a unique opportunity that has never existed before. We want to govern, and I want to become the first Green mayor in Munich.”
Local election campaign 2020: Kathrin Haben Schaden at the presentation of the Green Party’s campaign.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
In the election she will face Dieter Reiter, who won the office of mayor in the runoff election in 2014, and Kristina Frank, the local government representative who is running for the CSU.
Joint appearance: Katrin Haben Schaden (Greens), Dieter Reiter (SPD) and Kristina Frank (CSU) at the SZ panel discussion “Let’s talk about Munich” in the Residenztheater before the 2020 local elections.
(Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa)
Before the local elections, the two candidates and riders will stand South German newspaper for a special photo shoot. In the style of the SZ magazine section “Don’t say anything now,” they respond to questions with facial expressions.
Katrin Haben Schaden’s answers to the questions: “How will Munich’s tenants fare in 2026?” – “Your stressed face in the crowded S-Bahn?” And: “Your wildest rock star pose?”
(Photo: Alessandra Schellnegger)
The final spurt in the election campaign for the 2020 local elections is already being shaped by the coronavirus and is therefore not taking place on Marienplatz, but in the citizens’ office – with Robert Habeck, the chairman of the federal party.
Chat on the sofa for Facebook and Instagram: Katrin Haben Schaden with Robert Habeck on March 11, 2020.
(Photo: Catherina Hess)
In the election on March 15, 2020, the Greens received 29.1 percent, making them the strongest faction in Munich City Hall for the first time (in the previous election they had won 12.5 percent fewer votes). However, Katrin Haben Schaden missed the runoff election with 20.8 percent of the votes. The CSU candidate Kristina Frank comes in with 21.3 percent. In a direct duel two weeks later, she was clearly defeated by the incumbent Reiter from the SPD (71.7 percent for Reiter).
The Greens and SPD agree on a coalition in the city council. The coalition agreement is signed in the small meeting room of Munich City Hall. The new city government consists of the two parliamentary groups of the Greens and Pink List as well as the SPD and Volt.
Toasting from a distance: When the coalition agreement was signed between the Greens (Katrin Haben Schaden) and the SPD (Mayor Dieter Reiter) at the beginning of May 2020, strict distance rules still apply due to Corona.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
On May 4, 2020, Katrin Haben Schaden was elected Second Mayor of the Bavarian capital Munich.
Honor in the German Theater: Because the town hall is too small to accommodate all city councilors with sufficient distance, the first meeting of the city council with the appointment of the mayor and his deputies takes place in front of the red curtain.
(Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
In her role as Second Mayor, Haben Schaden is chairwoman of the committees for construction, labor and economy, culture, climate and environment, and mobility.
Colorful program: As Second Mayor, Katrin Haben Schaden was in demand at many cultural events.
(Photo: Florian Peljak)
As chairwoman of the Volkstheater’s supervisory board, Katrin Haben Schaden can look forward to the opening of the new building in autumn 2021, and as head of the Gasteig supervisory board, at the same time, she can look forward to the timely completion of the interim building in Sendling and the fact that the Isarphilharmonie that was built there is receiving much praise.
Not always as harmonious as here in October 2020 at the topping-out ceremony for the interim Isarphilharmonie: Gasteig supervisory board chief Katrin Haben Schaden and Gasteig managing director Max Wagner.
(Photo: Robert Haas)
However, the renovation of the Gasteig municipal cultural center, which is in need of renovation, is on hold due to costs. Only in the next few weeks will the city council decide what to do next. Gasteig managing director Max Wagner is also frustrated about this. A construction site that Katrin Haben Schaden now leaves unfinished.
The Greens’ stance on the International Motor Show (IAA) also gives rise to criticism within the town hall coalition. Voting for the IAA, sending the mayor to the IAA dinner and at the same time running against it “in the front row at the demo” – that is “green action and green speech in practice,” said SPD parliamentary group leader Anne Hübner angrily after the IAA. Debut 2021. Which is just an example of the sometimes tough cooperation.
A serious expression when saying goodbye: Katrin Haben Schaden’s post in which she explains her departure from politics.
(Photo: Instagram)
On October 11, 2023, three days after the state elections in Bavaria, Katrin Haben Schaden unexpectedly announced her exit from local politics. She wrote about her farewell on Instagram: “I’ve been able to get to know many wonderful Munich residents over the past few years. That’s always been the best thing about my job. Get out of the town hall and get together with the people.” From December she will take over the management of the environment and sustainability department at Deutsche Bahn in Berlin. She will commute. Her family stays in Munich.