Aydan Özoğuz

Aydan Özoğuz (; ; born 31 May 1967) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who has been a member of the Bundestag since 2009 and as its Vice-president of the German Bundestag from 2021 to 2025.

In addition to her parliamentary mandate, Özoğuz served as Commissioner for Immigration, Refugees and Integration at the rank of Minister of State in the third government of Chancellor Angela Merkel from 2013 until 2018. She served as her party's deputy chairperson of the party from 2011 until 2017.

Early life and education Özoğuz was born on 31 May 1967 in Finkenau, Hamburg to Turkish parents, who came to Germany in 1958. She grew up in Hamburg-Lokstedt. Her parents later went into their own food business. Özoğuz acquired German citizenship in 1989. She has two brothers, Yavuz and Gürhan.

Early career Since 1994, Özoğuz was research fellow in the Körber Foundation as project manager of "Coordination of New Projects" with focus on German-Turkish projects. From 1996 on, Özoğuz conducted projects in the field of Youth and Science Exchange as well as academic conferences on issues of international relations. With her election into Bundestag, she was exempted from her post at the Körber Foundation.

Political career Career in state politics Between 2001 and 2008, Özoğuz was member of the State Parliament of Hamburg. She was appointed speaker of the SPD parliamentary group for migration policies and member of the committees of interior affairs, petitions and family. In the negotiations to form a so-called traffic light coalition of the SPD, the Green Party and the Free Democrats (FDP) following the elections, she was part of her party's delegation in the working group on migration and integration, co-chaired by Boris Pistorius, Luise Amtsberg and Joachim Stamp.

Federal Commissioner for Immigration, Refugees and Integration, 2013–2018 On 16 December 2013, Özoğuz was appointed Commissioner for Immigration, Refugees and Integration in the third Merkel cabinet, succeeding Maria Böhmer (CDU). She was the first ever woman with Turkish roots and Muslim member of the German Federal Government as Minister of State.

Together with Doris Ahnen, Niels Annen, Michael Groschek and Manuela Schwesig, Özoğuz co-chaired the SPD's 2017 extraordinary convention in Dortmund.

In the negotiations to form a fourth coalition government under Chancellor Angela Merkel following the 2017 federal elections, Özoğuz was part of the working group on migration policy, led by Volker Bouffier, Joachim Herrmann and Ralf Stegner.

Political positions Domestic policy In May 2017, Özoğuz wrote a guest commentary in the newspaper Tagesspiegel in which she stated that a specific German culture "aside from the language is simply not identifiable", as "already historically, rather regional cultures, immigration and diversity have shaped our history". She added that "Globalisation and pluralisation of lifeworlds leads to a further diversification of diversity."

Human rights In August 2012, Özoğuz was one of 124 members of the Bundestag to sign a letter that was sent to the Russian ambassador to Germany, Vladimir Grinin, expressing concern over the trial against the three members of Pussy Riot. "Being held in detention for months and the threat of lengthy punishment are draconian and disproportionate," the lawmakers said in the letter. "In a secular and pluralist state, peaceful artistic acts – even if they can be seen as provocative – must not lead to the accusation of serious criminal acts that lead to lengthy prison terms."

Israel-Gaza Conflict On 18 October 2024, Özoğuz shared a post on a social media platform published by Jewish Voice for Peace that, per the media organisation Barron's, 'showed an image of a building on fire with the message "This is Zionism".'

Other activities Tarabya Cultural Academy, Member of the Advisory Board (since 2022) Islamkolleg Deutschland (IKD), Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2021) Aktion Deutschland Hilft (Germany's Relief Coalition), Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2019) Berghof Foundation, Member of the Advisory Council Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), Member of the Board of Trustees Foundation for History of Federal Republic of Germany, Deputy Member of the Board of the Trustees . Bündnis für Demokratie und Toleranz, Ex-officio Member of the advisory board (2013–2018)

Personal life Özoğuz is married to Michael Neumann, Senator of Interior Affairs from SPD in the state government of Hamburg, and has a daughter, Hanna.