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 "excerpt": "Michael Schäfer (born 1961) is a German politician who has served as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs since 2025.",
 "snippet": "Michael Schäfer (born 1961) is a German politician who has served as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs since 2025.",
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 "markdown": "# Michael Schäfer\n\nMichael Schäfer (born 1961) is a German politician and ministerial official who has served as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs since 2025. He previously served from 2022 to 2025 as Secretary-General of the German Bundestag, with the rank of State Secretary.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Current office | State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (since 2025) |\n| Previous offices | State Secretary, Secretary-General of the German Bundestag (2022–2025)<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup> |\n| Born | 1961<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup> |\n| Education | Political scientist<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup> |\n\n## Career\n\nSchäfer held various positions at the German Bundestag from 1997 to 2005.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup> From April 2005 to November 2005, he worked in the Federal Ministry of Defence as a policy officer in the office of Federal Minister Dr Peter Struck.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup>\n\nFrom 2005 to 2009, he was a policy officer in the office of Dr Peter Struck, the Chairman of the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group in the [Bundestag](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundestag), and from 2009 to 2013 he held the same role in the office of Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the group's Chairman.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup>\n\nFrom December 2013 to September 2014, Schäfer served at the Federal Foreign Office as Head of Division 011, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs, on the Political Staff.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup> He then became party manager of the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag, a position he held from October 2014 to December 2021.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup>\n\nIn January 2022, he moved to the Administration of the German Bundestag as Director-General for Information and [Documentation](https://www.edgepedia.org/documentation), serving until August 2022.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup> From September 2022 to May 2025, he was State Secretary and Secretary-General of the German Bundestag, an office the Bundestag describes as Director at the German Bundestag with the rank of State Secretary.<sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup>\n\nSince 2025, Schäfer has been State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The ministry lists him as State Secretary and Amtschef (chief officer) at the ministry, which has been led by Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Bärbel Bas since May 6, 2025.<sup>[2](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/political-staff.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Michael Schäfer CV, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/michael-schaefer-cv.html)\n2. [Political Staff, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs](https://www.bmas.de/EN/Ministry/Political-Staff/political-staff.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › Western European politicians › Politicians since 1945 › Ministers and government officials › Surnames N to S*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 12, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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  "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license",
  "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.",
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 "credit": "\"Michael Schäfer\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
 "credit_md": "\"[Michael Schäfer](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).",
 "credit_html": "\"<a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer\">Michael Schäfer</a>\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer\">https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-schafer</a>. <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\">Edgepedia Community License 1.0</a>.",
 "speakable": "Michael Schäfer is a German politician who has served as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs since 2025."
}