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Mario Czaja

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Mario Czaja
MdB
Mario Czaja in 2013 as Senator
General Secretary of theChristian Democratic Union
In office
31 January 2022 – 12 July 2023
LeaderFriedrich Merz
Succeeded byCarsten Linnemann(acting)
DeputyChristina Stumpp
Preceded byPaul Ziemiak
Senator for Health, Care and Equality of Berlin
In office
24 November 2011 – 8 December 2016
Governing MayorKlaus Wowereit
Michael Müller
Preceded byKatrin Lompscher
Succeeded byElke Breitenbach(Integration, Labour and Social Issues)
Dilek Kalayci(Health, Nursing and Equality)
Senator for Justice and Consumer Protection of Berlin
Interim
In office
12 December 2011 – 12 January 2012
Governing MayorKlaus Wowereit
Preceded byMichael Braun
Succeeded byThomas Heilmann
Parliamentary constituencies
Memberof theBundestag
forBerlin-Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Incumbent
Assumed office
26 October 2021
Preceded byPetra Pau
Member of the
Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin
In office
26 October 2006–4 November 2021
Preceded byGregor Gysi(2002)
Succeeded byKatharina Günther-Wünsch
ConstituencyMarzahn-Hellersdorf 5
In office
29 November 2001–26 October 2006
Preceded bymulti-member district
Succeeded bymulti-member district
ConstituencyMarzahn-Hellersdorf
In office
18 November 1999–29 November 2001
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byGregor Gysi(Marzahn-Hellersdorf 5)
ConstituencyHellersdorf 01
Personal details
Born(1975-09-21)21 September 1975(age 49)
East Berlin,East Germany
Political partyChristian Democratic Union
Residence(s)Marzahn-Hellersdorf,Berlin
Alma materTechnical University of Applied Sciences Wildau
Websitemario-czaja.de

Mario Czaja(born 21 September 1975) is a German politician of theChristian Democratic Union(CDU) who has been serving as a member of the GermanBundestagsince the2021 elections.

Czaja served as the party's Secretary General from 2022 to 2023, under the leadership ofFriedrich Merz.[1]From 2006 until 2021, he was a member of theState Parliament of Berlin.

Early life and career

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Czaja was born 1975 inEast Berlin,the capital ofEast Germany,and studiedbusiness administration.[2]From 1997 until 2000, he worked atinsurance companyNürnberger Versicherung.

Political career

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Career in state politics

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Czaja entered the CDU in 1993 and became member of theState Parliament of Berlinin the1999 state elections.He served as his parliamentary group's spokesperson on health policy from 2001 until 2011.[3]

From 2011 to 2016 Czaja was also member of theSenate of Berlin,the government body of Berlin, with responsibility for health care and social issues.[4][5]At the time, he was the youngest member of the state government led byGoverning MayorMichael Müller.[6]

In 2012, Czaja – together fellow state ministersFrank HenkelandThomas Heilmann– unsuccessfully advocated for a reduction in the penalty-freepersonal use of cannabisfrom 15 to six grams.[7]Also during his time in office, he appointed former state government membersEberhard Diepgen,Heidi Knake-Werner,Ingrid StahmerandWolfgang Wielandas advisors on the city's migration policies in 2014.[8]In 2016, Czaja cancelled the government's contract with one of the city's largest operators of hostels for asylum seekers after newspapersB.Z.andBildprinted internal emails showing the company's managers joking about building a guillotine and crematorium for refugee children.[9]

Czaja was a CDU delegate to theFederal Conventionfor the purpose of electing thePresident of Germanyin2017.[10]

From 2018 until 2021, Czaja served as his parliamentary group's deputy chair, under the leadership of Burkard Dregger. During that time, he was also a member of the Committee on Education, Youth and Families.[11]

Member of the German Parliament, 2021–present

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Czaja won theBerlin-Marzahn-Hellersdorfdistrict in the2021 German federal election– a seat held by members of thePDSorThe Leftsince the1990 German federal election(the first to be held in East Berlin).[12]

Ahead of the Christian Democrats' leadership election in 2022, Czaja publicly endorsedFriedrich Merzto succeed Laschet as the party's chair and joined his campaign team.[13]

Other activities

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Corporate boards

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Non-profit organizations

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Political positions

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Within the CDU, Czaja is considered an ally ofJens Spahn.When the CDU/CSU entered into acoalition governmentwith the center-leftSocial Democratic Party(SPD) on the national level following the2013 elections,he joined a group of young party members – includingGünter Krings,Michael Kretschmerand Spahn – in signing an open letter which called for changes in the CDU's policies and leadership.[16]For the2021 national elections,he joined Spahn in endorsingArmin Laschetas the Christian Democrats' joint candidate to succeedChancellorAngela Merkel.[17]

Also in 2021, Czaja publicly criticized the chairman of the CDU in Berlin,Kai Wegner,as being tooright-wing,arguing that he was "closer toHans-Georg MaaßenthanAngela MerkelandArmin Laschet."[18]

Controversy

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In 1997, a court ordered Czaja – who was 21 years old at the time – to pay a fine of 2,000Deutsche Markfordesertionafter he had twice failed to report for duty in theGerman Armed Forces.The prosecution had originally demanded a suspended sentence of four months.[19]

Personal life

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Czaja's brother isSebastian Czaja.He has been married to Julia Marx since 2012.[20]They have one daughter.[21]

References

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  1. ^Lange, Stefan."Der neue Generalsekretär Mario Czaja ist der CDU-Macher".Augsburger Allgemeine(in German).Retrieved22 January2022.
  2. ^"Richter bestätigt Urteil gegen Mario Czaja: CDU-Politiker muß Geldstrafe bezahlen".29 July 1997.
  3. ^Julius Betschka and Hannes Heine (16 November 2021),Mario Czaja im Team von Friedrich Merz: Berliner Ex-Senator könnte Generalsekretär der Bundes-CDU werdenDer Tagesspiegel.
  4. ^Bebber, Werner van; Heine, Hannes (21 September 2016)."Berlins CDU sucht ihre Zukunft".Der Tagesspiegel Online.
  5. ^Melissa Eddy and Katarina Johannsen (26 November 2015),Migrants Arriving in Germany Face a Chaotic Reception in BerlinNew York Times.
  6. ^Marina Mai (5 February 2013),Der nette Senator von nebenanDie Tageszeitung.
  7. ^Konrad Litschko (22 May 2012),Gras: Breitseite gegen KifferDie Tageszeitung.
  8. ^Thomas Lackmann (24 November 2014),Debatte um Flüchtlinge: Ehemalige Senatsmitglieder bilden Beirat für ZusammenhaltDer Tagesspiegel.
  9. ^Guy Chazan (16 August 2016),Berlin refugee hostel staff tied to crude emailsFinancial Times.
  10. ^Hildburg Bruns (7 December 2016),Wahl im Februar: Diese Berliner wählen den BundespräsidentenB.Z..
  11. ^Mario CzajaState Parliament of Berlin.
  12. ^Rebekka Wiese (19 October 2021),Mario Czaja: "Ich möchte die Menschen aus Marzahn vertreten"Die Zeit,30 July 1997.
  13. ^Julius Betschka and Hannes Heine (16 November 2021),Mario Czaja im Team von Friedrich Merz: Berliner Ex-Senator könnte Generalsekretär der Bundes-CDU werdenDer Tagesspiegel.
  14. ^Senat entsendet Mario Czaja in den Aufsichtsrat der Vivantes GmbHSenate of Berlin,press release of 6 December 2011.
  15. ^Caroline Copley (5 July 2021),Germany worried about COVID-19 vaccination 'no shows'Reuters.
  16. ^Robin Alexander (8 December 2013),Brandbrief: Das Manifest der jungen CDU gegen die SpitzeWelt am Sonntag.
  17. ^Julius Betschka and Hannes Heine (16 November 2021),Mario Czaja im Team von Friedrich Merz: Berliner Ex-Senator könnte Generalsekretär der Bundes-CDU werdenDer Tagesspiegel.
  18. ^Hannes Heine (4 May 2021),Maaßen-Streit erreicht Berliner CDU: Mario Czaja greift Spitzenkandidat Kai Wegner für „riskanten Rechtskurs "anDer Tagesspiegel.
  19. ^Richter bestätigt Urteil gegen Mario Czaja: CDU-Politiker muß Geldstrafe bezahlenBerliner Zeitung,30 July 1997.
  20. ^Czaja hat geheiratet, Baby kommt im AprilB.Z.,20 December 2012.
  21. ^Julius Betschka and Hannes Heine (16 November 2021),Mario Czaja im Team von Friedrich Merz: Berliner Ex-Senator könnte Generalsekretär der Bundes-CDU werdenDer Tagesspiegel.
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