Günther Hermann Oettinger (born 15 October 1953) is a German lawyer and politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) who served as European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources from 2017 to 2019, as European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society from 2014 to 2016 and as European Commissioner for Energy from 2010 to 2014.
He is affiliated with the liberal-conservative European People's Party (EPP). He served as Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg between 2005 and 2010 and as chairman of the CDU Baden-Württemberg from 2005 until 2010.
Since 2021, Oettinger has served as president of the German private university EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht in Wiesbaden.
Early life and education Oettinger was born to Hermann Oettinger in Stuttgart, who owned a tax accounting and enterprise consulting business. He grew up in Ditzingen, and attended school at Gymnasium Korntal-Münchingen.
He studied law and Economics at the University of Tübingen. He worked in an accounting and tax consulting business, before being licensed in 1984 to practice law and worked in this sector until 1988.
Political career Career in national politics Oettinger embarked in politics as a member of the Junge Union, the youth organisation of the CDU; he was chairman of the organization in Baden-Württemberg from 1983 to 1989. From 2001 to 2005 he served as Chairman of the CDU Party in Nordwürttemberg (North Württemberg), and has also been CDU Chairman of the Federal Committee for Media Politics.
Oettinger was elected as a Member of the State Parliament (Landtag) of Baden-Württemberg in 1984. From 1991 to 2005 he was Leader of the CDU Parliamentary Group.
Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, 2004–10 In October 2004 the Minister President of Baden-Württemberg Erwin Teufel announced that he was to step down as Minister President and Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg CDU, effective 19 April 2005. Oettinger was elected as his successor by CDU internal party pre-elections. His referendum win – with 60.6 percent of the vote versus 39.4 percent for state Education Minister Annette Schavan – was widely seen at the time as a defeat for Teufel, who had promoted Schavan as his preferred successor.
On 29 April 2005, Oettinger became Chairman of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg, eight days after succeeding Teufel as Minister President. In 2006 the CDU held onto their majority in the Baden-Württemberg state election; Oettinger was re-elected Minister President. Oettinger headed a coalition regional government comprising CDU and FDP members.
Oettinger was a CDU delegate to the Federal Convention for the purpose of electing the President of Germany in 2004 and 2009. Between 2007 and 2009, he served as co-chair (alongside Peter Struck) of the Second Commission on the modernization of the federal state (Föderalismuskommission II), which had been established to reform the division of powers between federal and state authorities in Germany.
Following the 2009 federal elections, Oettinger was part of the CDU/CSU team in the negotiations with the FDP on a coalition agreement; he joined the working group on economic affairs and energy policy, led by Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Rainer Brüderle. On 24 October 2009, Angela Merkel's new centre-right coalition government chose Oettinger to be a Commissioner of the European Commission. He took office on 10 February 2010, the same day he stepped down as Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, with the March 2011 Baden-Württemberg state election coming up.
In a wiki-leaked diplomatic cable from the United States Embassy entitled "Lame Duck German Governor Kicked Upstairs as New Energy Commissioner in Brussels," U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Germany, Greg Delawie notes: "Chancellor Angela Merkel nominated Baden-Wuerttemberg (BW) Minister President Guenther Oettinger as EU Energy Commissioner primarily to remove an unloved lame duck from an important CDU bastion". Delawie's cable further states: "Oettinger is noted for a lackluster public speaking-style, and some commentators have asserted that Merkel, who has often stood out at EU meetings, wanted to appoint a German Commissioner who would not outshine her!"
Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Energy, 2010–14 In the Second Barroso Commission, Oettinger was allocated the Energy portfolio, which had just grown in importance after the Lisbon Treaty gave the EU complete authority in the area.Oettinger defends European vision on energy EurActiv, 15 January 2010.
At his confirmation hearing before the European Parliament in 2010, Oettinger pledged to enforce the principle of solidarity on energy policy as enshrined in the EU's Lisbon Treaty so that no member state could be left disadvantaged. He struck a chord with parliamentarians by basing his security of supply strategy equally on diversifying gas transportation routes from third countries and promoting indigenous renewable energy. Asked about his stance on nuclear energy Oettinger said that although his country Germany sees nuclear as a bridging technology, he had no reservations against France's plans to build more nuclear capacity nor Austria's decision to abandon the technology altogether.
The first phase of Oettinger's term was dominated by the Nabucco pipeline debate, his many trips to Azerbaijan and the Caspian region as well as his negotiations with Russian energy company Gazprom. Oettinger lobbied both for the Nabucco pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, arguing they will be needed in the medium-term as routes to help secure European gas supply.Michael Shields (5 July 2013), EU's Oettinger says Nabucco route not dead -newspaper Reuters. The second phase began with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 and the resulting energy transition in Germany.Dario Sarmadi (25 June 2014), Germany's top EU official in Brussels wins backing for second term EurActiv. Oettinger advised that there should be no new taxes on energy within the EU, and current taxes should not be raised, if prices are to be kept competitive with rivals fuelled by cheaper shale gas in the US.Fiona Harvey (28 March 2013), Oettinger calls for no new taxes as talks begin on 2030 climate targets EurActiv.
Throughout his time in office, Oettinger regularly made headlines for his comments on constituent EU member countries' economic situations. In remarks published by German media in May 2013, he expressed doubts about France's economic recovery and said "too many in Europe still believe that everything will be fine." France, he said, "is completely unprepared to do what's necessary," while Italy, Bulgaria and Romania "are essentially ungovernable."Andrew Higgins and James Kanter (29 May 2013), E.U. States Win Leeway on Deficits New York Times. Oettinger has also repeatedly been in conflict with the German government. In an interview with Die Welt in 2014, he criticized the German Federal Government's plan to allow longer-serving employees to retire at the age of 63 for the message this sent to cash-strapped peripheral eurozone states like Greece, Spain and Portugal.Alice Ross (21 April 2014), Germany attacked over plan to cut retirement age Financial Times.
In mid-2014, Oettinger led high-level talks in order to facilitate a deal under which Ukraine would pay Russia $3.1 billion amid a dispute over unpaid Russian gas bills and Russia would deliver the gas Ukraine needs for the winter.
Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, 2014–16 Following the 2014 European elections, both governing parties in Germany – the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) – backed Oettinger to remain as the German EU Commissioner in the incoming European Commission. At first, Oettinger was widely considered to be a leading candidate to take the position of European Commissioner for Trade, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was said to consider the negotiations over the controversial TTIP to be one of the most important projects for growth in this legislative term.Jeevan Vasagar and Christian Oliver (4 August 2014), Germany seeks to limit investor protection to save trade deal Financial Times.Oettinger interested in Trade Commissioner post EurActiv, 29 August 2014.Peter Spiegel, Alex Barker and Christian Oliver (2 September 2014), European Commission top jobs: The runners and riders Financial Times. Instead, Jean-Claude Juncker, President-elect of the European Commission, nominated Oettinger as Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society.James Kanter (10 September 2014), Jean-Claude Juncker Names European Commissioners New York Times.
In this capacity, Oettinger was in charge of the Commission's department for communications networks, content and technology. His department gained considerable powers as part of Juncker's administrative reshuffle, including over the fight against counterfeiting, piracy and copyright. He shared competency over cyber-security matters with Dimitris Avramopoulos.Nicholas Hirst (11 December 2014), Who's who in the digital world European Voice.
Data protection
In a nod to European concerns over data protection, Oettinger expressed his support for stiffer rules currently under consideration that would provide Europeans with a greater say over how their online data is used by the likes of Google, Facebook and other internet companies.Mark Scott (29 September 2014), Nominee for European Digital Job Explains Positions in Hearing New York Times. He also supported the legal principle known as the "right to be forgotten", in which people have the right to ask that search engines no longer produce certain irrelevant or out-of-date information, when a search is done on the basis of the person's name internet searches. Pushing for a credible global common understanding on confidential and personal information of citizens around the world, Oettinger called for the establishment of a UN agency for data protection and data security.Graeme Wearden and Jill Treanor (22 January 2015), UN needs agency for data protection, European commissioner tells Davos The Guardian.
Economic policy
In an op-ed published in both the Financial Times and Les Échos in November 2014, Oettinger questioned whether President François Hollande had the "willingness to act" to reform the French economyPeter Spiegel (20 November 2014), Germany's EU commissioner doubts Hollande's reforms Financial Times. and said the Commission should insist France undertake "concrete and quantifiable measures coupled with precise deadlines" as a condition for a fresh deficit extension;Ingrid Melander (20 November 2014), French finance minister says prospect of EU fines 'not an issue' Reuters. in response, members of the French Socialists called for Oettinger to resign.Aline Robert (21 November 2014), French Socialists call for Oettinger to resign EurActiv.
Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources, 2017–19
On 1 January 2017 Oettinger was reassigned to the Budget and Human Resources portfolio, following the resignation of Kristalina Georgieva with effect from 31 December 2016 to take up a new position as chief executive officer of the World Bank.
Career after EU retirement In 2019, Oettinger and his partner Friederike Beyer jointly set up Oettinger Consulting, a Hamburg-based advisory firm.Andreas Müller (27 July 2019), Zukunft von Günther Oettinger: "Oettinger Consulting" steht in den Startlöchern Stuttgarter Zeitung. In 2020, he became a consultant to Viktor Orban.
Since 2021, Oettinger has been serving as the president of EBS University of Business and Law.Sascha Zoske (13 September 2021), Wie Oettinger und Böhm die EBS in die Champions League führen wollen Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Controversies Eulogy controversy