Saskia Esken (née Hofer; born August 28, 1961, in Stuttgart, Germany) is a prominent German politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (SPD). She has served as co-leader of the SPD since December 2019, initially alongside Norbert Walter-Borjans and later with Lars Klingbeil . Esken has been a member of the Bundestag since 2013, representing the Baden-Württemberg region .​IMDb+7Pantheon+7Wikipedia+7Wikipedia+5Wikipedia+5Kids encyclopedia facts from Kiddle+5Kids encyclopedia facts from Kiddle+2Wikipedia – Die freie Enzyklopädie+2Wikipedia+2

Before entering politics, Esken worked as an IT specialist in the early 1990s. She was elected to the Bundestag through the SPD's regional list, as she did not win a direct mandate in her constituency of Calw . Esken is known for her progressive positions on various issues, including advocating for a nationwide speed limit on highways, supporting the decriminalization of cannabis under strict regulations, and calling for a wealth tax on billionaires .​EPFL Graph Search+3Wikipedia+3Pantheon+3Wikipedia – Die freie Enzyklopädie

In recent developments, Esken has faced internal party criticism and public scrutiny. In December 2024, Chancellor Olaf Scholz publicly ignored her after a Bundestag vote, leading to speculation about her future leadership role . Despite announcing plans to retire after the 2021 Bundestag elections, Esken decided to run again in the 2025 elections, leading to mixed reactions within her party

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Despite facing challenges, Esken remains an influential figure in German politics, known for her commitment to social justice and democratic participation.