Jana Schimke
Jana Schimke is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union who served as a member of the Bundestag from 2013 to 2025.
Early life and career
Schimke was born in Cottbus, Germany. A political scientist, she worked as an intern in the Bundestag from 2002 to 2006. She also worked for the Confederation of German Employers' Associations from 2008 until 2013.Political career
At the general election in September 2013, Schimke unexpectedly gained the constituency of Dahme-Spreewald – Teltow-Fläming III – Oberspreewald-Lausitz I from the Social Democratic Party. From 2013 to 2021, she served on the Committee on Labor and Social Affairs, where she was her parliamentary group's rapporteur on temporary employment and the situation in the East German states. In addition to her committee assignments, she was the chairwoman of the German-Spanish Parliamentary Friendship Group. Within the CDU/CSU, she was a member of MIT, its pro-business wing.Since 2015, Schimke has been serving as deputy chairwoman of the CDU in Brandenburg, under the leadership of chairman Ingo Senftleben. In 2019, she was appointed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community to serve on the committee that oversaw the preparations for the 30th anniversary of German reunification.
From 2021 to 2025, Schimke served as chairwoman of the Committee on Tourism.
Life after politics
After leaving parliament, Schimke was appointed as managing director of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association in 2025.Other activities
Regulatory agencies
- Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway, Alternate Member of the Advisory Board
Corporate boards
- Michels Kliniken, Member of the Advisory Board
Non-profit organizations
- German Red Cross, Brandenburg Chapter, Member of the Presidium
- McDonald's Kinderhilfe Stiftung, Member of the Board of Trustees
Political positions
Schimke was one of only five CDU parliamentarians who voted against the government's draft law on introducing a national minimum wage for the first time in Germany's history in July 2014.Ahead of the Christian Democrats' leadership election in 2018, Schimke publicly endorsed Friedrich Merz to succeed Angela Merkel as the party's chair.
In 2020, Schimke opposed plans to introduce a mandatory quota aimed at achieving equal representation of women within the CDU's regional and national governing bodies by 2025.