As of: January 23, 2024, 7:09 a.m
By: Moritz Bletzinger
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Karl Lauterbach has a new woman at his side: the journalist Elisabeth Niejahr.
© Collage: Imago/Metodi Popow // IMAGO / Future Image
Karl Lauterbach is newly in love.
The SPD Health Minister speaks for the first time about his new partner.
Elisabeth Niejahr is a journalist and best-selling author.
Berlin – In a podcast they talked about politics, science and loneliness.
At least the latter should no longer be an issue for Karl Lauterbach (60) and Elisabeth Niejahr (59).
The two are a couple.
The SPD politician confessed this to
Bild
.
He says: "I'm glad that Elisabeth Niejahr is in my life." Since November, the two have been seen again and again at the same parties in Berlin.
They are only now making their love public, also because Lauterbach is sometimes threatened by terrorist groups and is under personal protection around the clock.
Karl Lauterbach makes the relationship public: This is partner Elisabeth Niejahr
But who exactly is the new woman at the Health Minister's side?
Elisabeth Niejahr, born in Eutin in 1965, has been working as a journalist since 1993.
For Der
Spiegel
she was a correspondent in the Bonn parliamentary office, and later deputy head of the Berlin capital office of the
Zeit
.
She also met Karl Lauterbach there in 2005, and they are said to have been on first name terms even back then.
But it probably didn't work until later.
From 2017 to 2019, Niejahr worked as chief reporter for Wirtschaftswoche in Berlin.
And she has been on the management board of the Hertie Foundation since 2020.
Elisabeth Niejahr in Markus Lanz's TV show in 2019.
© IMAGO / teutopress
At the same time, Niejahr wrote several books, mostly political explanatory works and also a patchwork guide.
That might even be able to help in the new relationship: Lauterbach has four children with Angela Spelsberg (64) and one with the current taz editor-in-chief Ulrike Winkelmann (52).
Niehjar is the second journalist with whom Lauterbach falls in love and also brings a child into the relationship.
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Incidentally, Niejahr also has something in common with former Chancellor Angela Merkel: both grew up in a pastor's family.
Politician loves journalist: Lauterbach and Lindner have something in common
Karl Lauterbach is not the only prominent politician with a penchant for successful female journalists.
FDP leader Christian Lindner married former Welt reporter Franca Lehfeldt in July 2022.
The pompous wedding on Sylt made waves at the time.
(moe)