Terry Reintke
Theresa "Terry" Reintke (born 9 May 1987) is a German politician serving as a Member of the European Parliament for Alliance 90/The Greens since 2014.[1] She has been co-president of the Greens/European Free Alliance group since June 2024, following her initial election to the position in October 2022.[2][3] Reintke is recognized for her advocacy on gender equality, women's rights, and social policies aimed at a more equitable Europe.[4] Born in Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr region, Reintke grew up witnessing the socioeconomic impacts of industrial decline, which informed her commitment to green economic transformation and social solidarity.[3] She studied political science at universities in Berlin and Edinburgh from 2006 to 2011.[5] Early in her career, she held roles in youth organizations, including serving as spokesperson for the Federation of Young European Greens from 2011 to 2013 and as a federal executive member of the German Green Party's youth section.[5] Upon her election to the European Parliament in 2014 at age 27, Reintke became one of the youngest women to hold the position, representing Germany's Greens in the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, where she coordinates the group's efforts.[1][3] Key initiatives include launching the #MeTooEU campaign in 2017 to address sexual harassment and violence within EU institutions, contributing to broader discussions on power imbalances and gender representation.[6] As co-president, she has prioritized defending democratic institutions, minority rights, and a social Europe, including efforts against authoritarian influences from external actors.[3][7] Reintke also received the European Western Balkans Award in 2022 for her engagement with regional developments and support for EU enlargement in the Western Balkans.[8]Biography
Early life and family background
Theresa Reintke was born on 9 May 1987 in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.[9][3] She was raised in the same city within the Ruhr region, a former industrial heartland dominated by coal mining and steel production that experienced profound economic restructuring and job losses in the late 20th century.[10][3] This environment exposed her early to the impacts of deindustrialization on local communities, influencing her later focus on just transitions and regional development.[11] Reintke grew up in a conservative household with academically oriented parents.[12] Her coming out as lesbian represented a significant challenge for her family, marking a point of tension amid the conservative milieu.[12] She first engaged with politics around age 14, amid this formative period in the Ruhr's post-industrial landscape.[13]Education and early career
Reintke studied political science from 2006 to 2011 at universities in Berlin, Germany, and Edinburgh, Scotland.[5][3] During her university years, she became active in Green youth organizations, serving from 2008 to 2009 as spokesperson for women's rights and gender affairs on the board of the German Federal Young Greens (Grüne Jugend).[3] From 2010 to 2011, she held an executive board position with the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG).[5][3] After completing her studies, Reintke worked from 2011 to 2013 as spokeswoman for the Federation of Young European Greens, focusing on youth engagement in European Green politics.[3] In the same period, she served as a parliamentary assistant to Ulrich Schneider, a member of the German Bundestag representing Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.[5][3] These roles involved advocacy on social justice, environmental issues, and European integration within Green networks.[3]Political career
Pre-parliamentary involvement
Prior to her election to the European Parliament in 2014, Reintke engaged in youth political activism within Green Party-affiliated organizations. Born on 9 May 1987 in Gelsenkirchen in Germany's Ruhr region, she developed an interest in politics at age 14, influenced by the area's industrial decline and social challenges.[3] From 2006 to 2011, she studied political science at universities in Berlin and Edinburgh.[5] Reintke's early involvement centered on the Grüne Jugend, the youth wing of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen. Between 2008 and 2009, she served as a federal executive board member and spokesperson for women's rights and gender affairs.[3] [5] Extending her activities to the European level, she joined the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) in 2010–2011 as an executive board member.[3] By 2011–2013, she acted as FYEG spokesperson, advocating for green policies among young Europeans.[5] [3] Concurrently, from 2011 to 2013, Reintke worked as a parliamentary assistant to Ulrich Schneider, a member of the German Bundestag for the Greens, gaining experience in national legislative processes.[5] [3] These roles positioned her as a rising figure in green youth networks, focusing on social justice, gender equality, and environmental issues ahead of her 2014 candidacy.[5]European Parliament service (2014–2019)
Terry Reintke was elected to the European Parliament in the 2014 elections as a member of the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) group, representing Bündnis 90/Die Grünen from Germany, becoming the youngest female MEP at age 27.[14][3] During her first term from July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2019, she served on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), the Committee on Regional Development (REGI), and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM).[14] She also held full membership in the Delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee and substitute membership in the Delegation for relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.[14][3] Reintke contributed to legislative work as rapporteur for the report on cohesion policy in relation to the territorial and socioeconomic situation of marginalised communities, adopted on October 30, 2015, which examined EU funding mechanisms for disadvantaged groups including Roma communities.[15] She also served as rapporteur for the report on gender equality and empowering women in the digital age, adopted on April 8, 2016, advocating for measures to address gender gaps in technology sectors such as STEM fields and online safety.[16] In 2018, she drafted an opinion as rapporteur on the protection of the EU budget in cases of generalized deficiencies as regards the rule of law in member states, emphasizing conditional funding tied to compliance standards.[17] Her parliamentary interventions included plenary debates on the coordination of social security systems on April 17, 2019, and the proposed directive on work-life balance for parents and carers on April 4, 2019, where she addressed cross-border worker protections and family leave policies.[18] Reintke co-authored written declarations, including one on measures to combat homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia against LGBTI persons (51 signatories, September 12, 2016), another on accessibility of housing for vulnerable groups (91 signatories, September 12, 2016), and one on improving healthcare access for transgender persons (76 signatories, February 1, 2016).[14] In 2017, she was elected co-president of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights, focusing on advocacy for equality legislation.[3]European Parliament service (2019–2024)
Terry Reintke was re-elected to the European Parliament in May 2019 as a representative of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, serving during the ninth parliamentary term (2019–2024) as part of the Greens/European Free Alliance group.[9] In this period, she initially held the position of Vice-President of the Greens/EFA group from 2019 to 2022, contributing to the group's coordination on legislative and political priorities.[3] From 2019 to 2022, Reintke served as a full member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), focusing on issues such as fundamental rights protection, labor standards, and gender-related policies.[3] She also participated in interparliamentary delegations with the United Kingdom and Montenegro, and was involved in the special committee on the Pegasus spyware (PEGA) inquiry, which examined unlawful surveillance practices targeting EU citizens and officials.[3] As shadow rapporteur, she contributed to the 2019 resolution urging the European Commission to maintain its strategy on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) issues, opposing amendments that sought to weaken protections against discrimination.[19] In October 2022, Reintke was elected Co-President of the Greens/EFA group alongside Bas Eickhout, a leadership role she retained until the term's conclusion following the June 2024 elections; this position included membership in the Conference of Presidents, influencing the Parliament's agenda.[20] In her capacities within LIBE and related bodies, she acted as rapporteur for a 2022 report on the rule of law, advocating for strengthened EU mechanisms to address democratic backsliding in member states, which secured broad support in plenary.[21] Her work emphasized green industrial policies, such as transitions to green steel and hydrogen production, alongside efforts to enhance workers' rights and defend democratic freedoms against authoritarian pressures.[3] Reintke also engaged in initiatives supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), co-organizing events and reports through parliamentary networks during the term.