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'{{for|the scientist|Claudia Roth (paleobiologist)}} {{Infobox Officeholder |name = Claudia Roth |image = [[Image:Roth, Claudia-0613.jpg|220px]] |office = [[President of the Bundestag|Vice President of the Bundestag]] |term_start = 22 October 2013 |term_end = [[Next German federal election|2017]] |alongside2 = <br>''See [[Presidium of the Bundestag]] for details.'' |president = [[Joachim Gauck]] |predecessor = [[Katrin Göring-Eckardt]] |successor = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|5|15|df=y}} |birth_place = [[Ulm]], [[West Germany]]<br>{{small|(now [[Germany]])}} |death_date = |death_place = |party = [[Alliance '90/The Greens]] |spouse = |children = |alma_mater = [[Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich]] }} '''Claudia Benedikta Roth''' (born 15 May 1955 in [[Ulm]]) is a [[Germany|German]] [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Green Party]] [[politician]]. She was one of the two party chairs from 2004 to 2013 and currently serves as one of the [[President of the Bundestag|vice presidents]] of the ''[[Bundestag]]''. == Biography == Claudia Benedicta Roth began her artistic work, which she always regarded as also being political, in the 1970s as a trained artistic director at a theatre in [[Memmingen]]. She then worked at the municipal theatre in [[Dortmund]] and the Hoffmanns-Comic-Teater, and subsequently became involved with the political rock band "[[Ton Steine Scherben]]". She came into contact with the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Green party]] on election campaign tours. In 1985, she became press spokesperson for the Greens in the [[Bundestag]], despite being a newcomer to this line of work. === Member of the European Parliament === In July 1989, Roth was elected for the first time as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] for the Greens. Amongst other things, she was a member of two committees of inquiry in the [[European Parliament]], namely the Committee of Inquiry into Racism and Xenophobia and the Committee of Inquiry into Links between Organized Crime and Drugs, as well as of the EC-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee. In addition, she became a member of the new [[European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs|Committee on Civic Liberties and Internal Affairs]], the [[European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs|Foreign Affairs Committee]] and the [[European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights|Sub-Committee on Human Rights]]. From 1989 to 1990, she was also deputy chairperson of the [[The Green Group in the European Parliament|Green Group in the European Parliament]]. In July 1994, she was again elected to the European Parliament as a lead candidate of Alliance 90/The Greens. She was chairperson of the Green Group in the European Parliament until 1998. During this second term as an MEP, she was again a member of the [[European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs]], the Sub-Committee on Human Rights and the EC-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, of which she was elected deputy chairperson. She also remained involved with the Foreign Affairs Committee as a substitute member. === Member of the German Bundestag === Claudia Roth ended her work as an MEP when she became part of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag after the [[German federal election, 1998]]. She became a member of the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union and a substitute member of the Committee on Internal Affairs of the German Bundestag. Furthermore, she was elected chairperson of the newly established Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid. On 9 March 2001, Roth was elected Federal chairperson of [[Alliance '90/The Greens]] at the party conference in [[Stuttgart]] and resigned as a Member of the Bundestag at the end of March 2001 as a result. At the same time, she was spokesperson of the Alliance '90/The Greens on women's affairs. In October 2002, Roth was elected to the Bundestag as Bavarian lead candidate for Alliance '90/The Greens. Since then, she has been a member of the Bundestag's Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs. She is also cultural affairs spokesperson for the Alliance '90/The Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag and chairperson of the German-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Group. Between March 2003 and October 2004, in Chancellor [[Gerhard Schröder]]’s second cabinet, Roth served as the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the [[Federal Foreign Office]].<ref>[http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/sid_3E309E94C6AE9A69CDC3697C2DB5044F/EN/AAmt/Koordinatoren/MR-Koordinator/Uebersicht-MRBeauftragter_node.html The Commissioner for Human Rights Policy] [[Foreign Office (Germany)]]</ref> Roth became federal chairperson of Alliance '90/The Greens again in October 2004 and was re-elected as such several times, most recently in November 2010. In 2012, she failed to become the number one woman in the federal election campaign for 2013. After this defeat she was unsure to run again for the position of leader of the board of directors of the party. Fellow party member [[Volker Beck (politician)|Volker Beck]] started a support campaign in favour of her in social media networks and called it [[candystorm]]. The party members subsequently re-elected Roth with 88.5 percent backing.<ref>Erik Kirschbaum (November 17, 2012), [http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/17/germany-politics-greens-idUSL5E8MH3QW20121117 German Greens avoid split by re-electing leftist] ''[[Reuters]]''.</ref> Roth served as deputy chairwoman of the German-Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Group between 2005 and 2009 and held the same office in the German-Turkish Friendship Group between 2005 and 2013. Roth was elected as Vice-President of the German Bundestag on 22 October 2013. In addition, she is a member of the parliament’s [[Council of Elders of the Bundestag (Germany)|Council of Elders]], which – among other duties – determines daily legislative agenda items and assigning committee chairpersons based on party representation. She also serves as a member of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development as well as of the Sub-Committee on Cultural Relations and Education Policy. In addition, she is a member of the Art Advisory Board of the German [[Bundestag]]. == Political career == * 1985 - 1989: Press spokeswoman for the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Green party of West Germany]]. * 1985 - 1998: Member of the [[European Parliament]] (Chairwoman of the Green Party faction from 1994 to 1998). * 1998 - March 2001: Member of the [[Green Party faction (Bundestag)|Green Party faction]] in the German Parliament (Bundestag). ** Chairwoman of the Human Rights Board in the German Parliament * March 2001 - December 2002: Chairwoman of the German Green Party (together with [[Fritz Kuhn]]). * 22 September 2002 - today: Member of the [[Green Party faction (Bundestag)|Green Party faction]] in the [[Bundestag]]. * October 2004 - October 2013: Chairwoman of the German Green Party (together with [[Reinhard Bütikofer]] until 2008, then [[Cem Özdemir]]). * 22 October 2013 - today: [[Presidium of the Bundestag|Vice president]] of the Bundestag. ==Political positions== ===On Turkey=== Since her time at the European Parliament, Roth has regularly criticized the European Union's "determination to hold Turkey at bay."<ref>Stephen Kinzer (December 15, 1997), [http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/15/world/turkey-rejected-will-freeze-ties-to-european-union.html Turkey, Rejected, Will Freeze Ties to European Union] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> In 1995, she expressed doubts about Prime Minister [[Tansu Çiller]]’s ability to bring about human rights reforms as a condition for a [[European Union–Turkey Customs Union]].<ref>Hugh Pope (October 7, 1995), [http://articles.latimes.com/1995-10-07/news/mn-54287_1_southeast-turkey New Allies Push Turkey Premier to the Right] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''.</ref> In June 2013, Roth was at the surroundings of the [[Taksim Square]] when the police intervened to evacuate [[Gezi Park]] and was among those affected by the [[tear gas]] fired by security officers.<ref>Craig Mackenzie (June 26, 2013), [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342501/Turkey-unrest-Istanbul-hotel-guests-treated-medics-police-throw-tear-gas-lobby.html Hotel guests and protesters treated by medics after riot police throw tear gas into lobby as Istanbul unrest continues] ''[[Daily Mail]]''.</ref> Following the victory of [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] in the [[Turkish presidential election, 2014|2014 presidential election]], she criticized the “dramatic erosion of the democratic system in Turkey.”<ref>Sabrina Pabst (August 10, 2014), [http://www.dw.de/erdogan-is-closing-in-on-the-presidency/a-17843197 Erdogan is closing in on the presidency] ''[[Deutsche Welle]]''.</ref> ===On right-wing extremism=== On Friday 17 March 2006, Roth reported herself to the German police for [[Ban of Nazi symbols in Germany#Anti-fascism symbols|displaying a crossed-out swastika]] on multiple demonstrations against [[Neo-Nazis]], and subsequently got the Bundestag to suspend her immunity from prosecution. She intended to show the absurdity of charging anti-fascists with using fascist symbols: "We don't need prosecution of non-violent young people engaging against right-wing extremism." ===On the death penalty=== In 2008, Roth publicly urged incoming U.S. president [[Barack Obama]] to "be pushing for the banning of the death penalty, not for upholding it. The death penalty is the biggest blow against human rights and the right to live. He is not in a position to determine whether people live or die, not even in punishing them for the worst crimes!"<ref>[http://www.bild.de/news/bild-english/death-penalty-for-child-rapist-4975588.bild.html Obama: Death penalty for child rapists!] ''[[Bild]]'', July 2, 2008.</ref> Speaking in her capacity as leader of the Green Party and underlining the profound divergence in opinion concerning [[capital punishment]] in the United States and Western Europe, Roth called the execution of [[Troy Davis]] in 2011 “a cynical and inhumane spectacle that occasions mourning and horror.”<ref>Scott Sayare (September 22, 2011), [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/world/europe/davis-execution-leads-to-chorus-of-outrage-in-europe.html In Europe, a Chorus of Outrage Over a U.S. Execution] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> She has also spoken out against capital punishement on numerous other occasions, including the execution of the [[LaGrand case|LaGrand brothers]] in 1999 which she attended.<ref>Michaela Schießl (March 1, 1999), [http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-9507443.html Wie ein Tier im Käfig] ''[[Der Spiegel]]''.</ref> ===On the use of military force=== Shortly after the U.S. launched [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|military operations in Afghanistan]] in October 2001, Roth criticized the use of [[Cluster munition|antipersonnel cluster bombs]] was "not appropriate". Her statement came a day after some 10,000 people, some of them carrying banners that said "Against repression and war" and "The American way of life is too expensive for our world," turned out in Berlin in a peaceful protest against the bombings.<ref>Steven Erlanger (October 16, 2001), [http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/16/world/fissures-in-german-support-for-us-attacks.html Fissures in German Support for U.S. Attacks] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> When the members of the Green Party later defied their pacifist roots and voted overwhelmingly in favor of sending German soldiers to Afghanistan as part of [[NATO]]-led security mission [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]], Roth maintained that "[the Greens] are and remain an antiwar party. But I think that under certain circumstances it must be possible to engage militarily in order to stop violence."<ref>Edmund L. Andrews (November 25, 2001), [http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/25/world/german-greens-patch-rift-and-support-use-of-military.html German Greens Patch Rift And Support Use of Military] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> As a consequence, Roth has in the past voted in favor of German participation in [[United Nations peacekeeping|United Nations peacekeeping missions]] as well as in United Nations-mandated European Union peacekeeping missions on the African continent, such as in [[Operation Atalanta|Somalia]] (2009, 2010), [[African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur|Darfur/Sudan]] (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015), [[United Nations Mission in South Sudan|South Sudan]] (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014), [[European Union Training Mission Somalia|Mali]] (2014, 2015) and the [[EUFOR RCA|Central African Republic]] (2014). In 2013 and 2014, she abstained from the vote on continuing German participation in [[Operation Atalanta]] in Somalia, and she voted has against the [[European Union Training Mission Somalia]] (2014, 2015). ===Arms exports=== In 2010, Roth publicly called for “more stringent control over and sharper criteria governing arms exports.“<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/booming-business-germany-now-world-s-third-largest-arms-exporter-a-683598.html Booming Business: Germany Now World's Third Largest Arms Exporter] ''[[Spiegel Online]]'', March 15, 2010.</ref> In 2014, she – alongside fellow Green Party parliamentarians [[Katja Keul]] and [[Hans-Christian Ströbele]] – lodged a complaint before the [[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany]], arguing that it was unconstitutional for the government to keep the Bundestag in the dark about planned arms deals because it prevented the parliament from fulfilling its role of keeping the government in check. The court ruled that while the government did not have to disclose information about planned defense exports, it did have an obligation to provide the Bundestag with details, on request, once specific arms deals had been approved.<ref>[http://www.dw.de/german-court-rules-against-more-disclosure-in-arms-deals/a-18009863 German court rules against more disclosure in arms deals] ''[[Deutsche Welle]]'', October 21, 2014.</ref> In a 2015 interview with ''[[Welt am Sonntag]]'', Roth singled out exports to [[Saudi Arabia]] for criticism, calling the country "the top terror exporter in the Middle East" and raising concerns that the country's leaders may turn weapons sold by Germany on their own people.<ref>[http://www.dw.de/gabriel-to-call-for-badawi-release-negotiate-contracts/a-18301896 Gabriel to call for Badawi release, negotiate contracts] ''[[Deutsche Welle]]'', March 7, 2015.</ref> ===Relations with Tibet=== Roth has met the [[Dalai Lama]] several times during her time in parliament and has been a supporter of the [[Tibetan independence movement|Tibet movement]]. In 2015, Roth addressed the official commemoration of the [[Tibetan Uprising Day|56th Tibetan National Uprising day]] alongside [[Sikyong]] [[Lobsang Sangay]] in [[Dharamsala]].<ref>[http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=35843 Deputy Speaker of German parliament to attend 56th official function of Tibetan uprising day] ''[[Phayul.com]]'', March 9, 2015.</ref> Alongside [[Robert Badinter]] and [[Karel Schwarzenberg]], she became one of the first signers of the 2015 Paris Declaration which calls for European governments to develop a coordinated approach in addressing [[China]]’s policies in Tibet.<ref>[http://www.voatibetanenglish.com/content/article/2681736.html Europe Stands With Tibet Rally] ''[[Voice of America]]'', March 16, 2015.</ref> ==Other activities (selection)== * Culture Foundation of the [[German Football Association]] (DFB), Member of the Board of Trustees * ''Denkwerk Demokratie'', Member of the Advisory Board * [[Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit]] (GIZ), Member of the Board of Trustees * [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup]], Member of the Environmental Advisory Board * [[Goethe-Institut]], Delegate to the General Meeting * [[Humanist Union]], Member of the Advisory Board * International Committee for the Liberation of the Kurdish Parliamentarians Imprisoned in Turkey, Vice President * International Journalists’ Programmes, Member of the Board of Trustees * Tarabya Academy, Member of the Advisory Board * [[University of Augsburg]], Member of the Board of Trustees * European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, Member of the Board of Directors (2002-2006) * [[German Football Association]] (DFB), Member of the Sustainability Council (2009-2013) * German Orient Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees (2002-2006) ==Recognition== * 2004 – [[Legion of Honour|Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur]] * 2014 – [[Bavarian Order of Merit]] ==Criticism== Roth has been criticized for her positive relations with the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]]. Along with fellow lawmakers [[Günter Gloser]], [[Monika Grütters]], [[Luc Jochimsen]] and [[Peter Gauweiler]], she travelled to [[Iran]] in 2010 to meet with [[Ali Larijani]], [[Manouchehr Mottaki]] and others; the trip was heavily criticized by international human rights organizations.<ref>Benjamin Weinthal (November 16, 2010), [http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748703805004575606291893348542 That Treasured German-Iranian Friendship] ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''.</ref> In February 2013, she was reprimanded by German media outlets and Iranian dissidents for warmly greeting the Iranian ambassador to Germany, [[Alireza Sheikhattar]], with a [[high five]]; Iranian Kurdish dissidents hold Sheikhattar responsible for the murder of Kurds during his tenure as governor of Iran's [[Kurdistan Province|Kurdistan]] and [[West Azerbaijan Province|West Azerbaijan]] provinces from 1980 to 1985.<ref>{{cite news |title=German Green Party head high-fives Iran’s envoy |author= |url=http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=302821 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |date=11 February 2013 |accessdate=}}</ref> In 2015, Roth again led a German parliamentary delegation for a five-day visit to Tehran, including meetings with Iranian Parliament Speaker [[Ali Larijani]], Deputy Speaker [[Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi Fard]], Deputy Foreign Minister [[Majid Takht-Ravanchi]], presidential candidate [[Mohammad Reza Aref]] as well as two of President [[Hassan Rouhani]]’s deputies namely [[Shahindokht Molaverdi]], the vice president for women’s affairs, and [[Masoumeh Ebtekar]],<ref>[http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/naher-osten/iranisches-parlament-veraergert-ueber-claudia-roth-13394769.html Iran verärgert über Grünen-Politikerin] ''[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]]'', January 28, 2015.</ref> the vice president and chairwoman of the Department of Environment;<ref>[http://tehrantimes.com/politics/121179-german-parliamentary-team-due-in-tehran- German parliamentary team due in Tehran] ''[[Tehran Times]]'', January 20, 2015.</ref> she was, however, denied a meeting with human rights activist [[Narges Mohammadi]].<ref>[http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/naher-osten/iranisches-parlament-veraergert-ueber-claudia-roth-13394769.html Iran verärgert über Grünen-Politikerin] ''[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]]'', January 28, 2015.</ref> ==References== {{reflist|3}} *{{cite web| url = http://www.bundestag.de/bundestag/abgeordnete17/biografien/R/roth_claudia.html| title = Claudia Roth (Augsburg), BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN| language = German| trans_title = | accessdate = 2010-10-19|publisher = [[Deutscher Bundestag]]}} == External links == {{Commons}} * http://www.claudia-roth.de *[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/1057/Claudia_ROTH.html European Parliament data] {{Authority control}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Roth, Claudia | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = German politician | DATE OF BIRTH = 15 May 1955 | PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Ulm]] | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Roth, Claudia}} [[Category:1955 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alliance '90/The Greens politicians]] [[Category:Légion d'honneur recipients]] [[Category:People from Ulm]] [[Category:Members of the Bundestag]] [[Category:Female MEPs for Germany]] [[Category:MEPs for Germany 1989–94]]'