Matthias Platzeck

born in 1953 in Potsdam, Prime Minister of Brandenburg since 2002. Platzeck studied biomedical cybernetics at the Technical University of Ilmenau before taking a first position at the Institute for Air Hygienic in Chemnitz. Since 1980 Platzeck worked as managing director at Bad Freienwalde hospital. From 1982 to 1990 he was head of department for environmental hygienic at the Hygienic Inspection in Potsdam. In 1990 Platzeck became deputy for Bündnis 90 in the regional parliament of Brandenburg.

In November of the same year he took over the position of Minister for environment, nature conservancy and regional planning. Having moved to the Social Democratic Party of Germany Platzeck was elected mayor of Potsdam in 1998. In July 2000 Matthias Platzeck took over the party leadership of the Social Democratic Party of Brandenburg.