Wolfgang Clement Bundesminister a. D. Ministerpräsident a. D. MdL a. D. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Clement in 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister for Economics and Labour | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 22 October 2002 – 22 November 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chancellor | Gerhard Schröder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 27 May 1998 – 22 October 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Michael Vesper | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Johannes Rau | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Peer Steinbrück | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of Economy and medium-sized Businesses, Technology and Transportation of North Rhine-Westphalia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 17 July 1995 – 9 June 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister-President | Johannes Rau | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Günther Einert (Economy, medium-sized Businesses and Technology) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Bodo Hombach | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister for Special Affairs and Chief of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 June 1990 – 17 July 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister-President | Johannes Rau | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Klaus Dieter Leister | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Rüdiger Frohn | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Bochum, Gau Westphalia-South, German Reich (now Germany) | 7 July 1940||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 27 September 2020 (aged 80) Bonn, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Cause of death | Lung cancer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Independent | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations | Social Democratic Party (1970–2008) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Marburg | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Wolfgang Clement (7 July 1940 – 27 September 2020) was a German politician and a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was the 7th Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia from 27 May 1998 to 22 October 2002 and Federal Minister of Economics and Labour from 2002 to 2005. He was an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.
He was known for being one of the architects of the Agenda 2010 labor market reforms under chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the early 2000s. He was also credited with the merger of the federal ministry of economics and labor and the Hartz I through IV labor market reforms. The labor and welfare reforms have been credited with reducing unemployment and contributing to Germany's growth years. However, the reforms have been a divisive topic and created a lasting rift between the leftists and the centrists at the SPD.