Michels in 2002
Ines Michels (born 23 July 1965) is a Brunanter politician with the Social Democrats. She was Prime Minister from 1998 until 2005. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 1989-2019 and was chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party from 1997-2005.
Biography[]
Michels was born in 1965 in Drenthe, the youngest of four children. She lived and studied in Cerques, Traspes before returning to Brunant in 1987.
She joined the Social Democratic Party and progressed through the party ranks. Michels was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1989 and would serve as a representative until 2019, when she did not seek re-election in the 2019 election.
Michels was chosen as party leader in 1997 and in the 1998 general election, she was able to lead her party into office and defeat incumbent CDU leader Henry Jorgeson. She became Prime Minister in August 1998 after a three-month government formation which led to first Michels government, a coalition of the SDP, the Socialist Left Party and the newly-formed Green Party.
The SDP also became the largest party in the 2002 election, which resulted in the second Michels government. Her second government was less stable and needed the support of a fourth coalition party, the Centre Democrats. After many conflicts within the government and a failed budget vote, Michels stepped down as Prime Minister and party chairwoman in April 2005. She was succeeded as Prime Minister by CDU leader Frederic Darnley after the early 2005 election, and as party leader by President Gert Henneman.
Michels also remained a representative in the House after 2005. For several years, she remained important within the party and one of the most popular politicians in the country. She is a spokesperson for various animal rights organisations and has chaired a number of companies and charities.
In 2016, Michels was the first to announce her candidacy for the SDP leadership, coming in third in the first round of votes, then backing Pieter Van Buskirk.
Michels will participate in the 2019 European Parliament election after she announced she did not seek re-election for the House earlier that year.
Personal life[]
Michels married Adam Grant in 1991. They had a son, Joseph (born 1993). They divorced in 2007.