Rainer Brüderle

Rainer Brüderle (; born 22 June 1945) is a German politician and member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP). He served as Minister of Economics and Transport of Rhineland-Palatinate from 1987–1998.

Brüderle holds a Diplom in Economics from the University of Mainz.

Political career

Brüderle served as a member of the German Bundestag between 1998 and 2013.

In January 2013, party chairman Philipp Rösler offered to the party leadership to step down in favour of Brüderle, then the favoured choice of many FDP members to lead the party into that year's national election. Brüderle declined, and both agreed that Rösler would stay on as party leader, while Brüderle would be the face of the FDP's election campaign.

Other activities State agencies Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Posts and Railway (BNetzA), Member of the Advisory Board (1998–2009) Landesbank Rheinland-Pfalz, Member of the Board of Guarantors (1998–2008)

Corporate boards KfW, Ex-officio Member of the Board of Supervisory Directors (2009–2011) Deutsche Bank, Member of the Advisory Board (1998–2009) Provinzial Rheinland Versicherung AG, Member of the Supervisory Board (2005-2006) IVA Valuation & Advisory AG, Member of the Supervisory Board (2005–2009; since 2011) RSBK Strategie Beratung Kommunikation AG, Member of the Advisory Board (2005–2009; since 2013)

Non-profits ZDF, Member of the Broadcasting Board Stiftung Auge, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2009) German-Israeli Business Association, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 200?) Rationalisierungs- und Innovationszentrum der Deutschen Wirtschaft, Member of the Board of Trustees (2009–2013)

Personal life Brüderle lives in Mainz. He maintains a holiday residence in Lehigh Acres, Florida.

In the magazine Stern in January 2013, journalist published an article about alleged advances towards her from Brüderle during a January 2012 political gathering at a bar in Stuttgart. The advances included asking her for a dance and mainly the suggestive comment that she "could also fill a dirndl", which she interpreted as sexism, sparking a media-wide debate.