Sabine Verheyen

Sabine Verheyen (born 24 October 1964) is a German architect and politician who has served as the First Vice-President of the European Parliament since July 2024, having been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2009. She is a member of the Christian Democratic Union, part of the European People's Party.

Education and personal life Sabine Verheyen was born in Aachen. From 1983 to 1988, Verheyen studied architecture at the Aachen University of Applied Sciences.

In Brussels, Verheyen has been sharing an apartment with fellow parliamentarian Monika Hohlmeier since 2009.

Political career Career in local politics Verheyen joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1990. Since 2001 she has been a member of the leadership of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia and since 2002 a member of the Regional Executive Committee of the CDU Municipal Policy Association (KPV). In 2020, she also joined the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union.

In addition to her committee assignments, Verheyen is a member of the Parliament's Delegation for relations with South Africa. Between 2009 and 2014, she also served as a substitute member on the Committee on Regional Development and the Delegation for relations with Iran. the European Parliament Intergroup on the Digital Agenda and of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children's Rights.

In October 2021, Verheyen was elected as one of five deputies of Hendrik Wüst as chair of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Verheyen was nominated by her party as delegate to the Federal Convention for the purpose of electing the President of Germany in 2022.

In the negotiations to form a coalition government of the CDU and Green Party under Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst following the 2022 state elections, Verheyen led her party’s delegation in the working group on cultural affairs, media and sports.

Other activities Caritas-Gemeinschaftsstiftung für das Bistum Aachen, member of the board of trustees European Internet Foundation, member of the steering committee Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), alternate member of the broadcasting council

Political positions Ahead of the 2021 Christian Democratic Union of Germany leadership election, Verheyen publicly endorsed Armin Laschet to succeed Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as the party’s chair.