Sven Giegold (born 17 November 1969) is a German politician of Alliance 90/The Greens. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2009 to 2021, held the office of State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action from 2021 to 2024, and has been deputy chair of his party since 2024.
Early life and education
Giegold was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, and grew up in Hanover, Lower Saxony. He began university studies in 1991 at the University of Lüneburg, focusing on political science and economics, and later attended the University of Bremen. In 1996 he obtained a master’s degree in Economic Development from the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom). He subsequently pursued doctoral research under Jörg Huffschmid at the University of Bremen but abandoned the Ph.D. program to concentrate on his political career.
Political activity and national politics
A founding member of Attac Germany in 2000, Giegold was active in the anti‑globalisation movement until joining the Greens in 2008. He participated as a Green delegate at the German Federal Convention that elected the President of Germany in 2010.
Member of the European Parliament (2009–2021)
Elected to the European Parliament in the 2009 elections representing Germany, Giegold served on several committees, most prominently the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. He contributed to legislation establishing the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in 2010 and played a leading role in negotiations that resulted in the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) Regulation of 2013.
State Secretary (2021–2024)
Following his parliamentary tenure, Giegold was appointed State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In this role he assisted the minister in overseeing economic policy, climate action initiatives, and EU‑related financial matters.
Party leadership (2024–present)
In 2024 Giegold was elected deputy chair of Alliance 90/The Greens, serving under co‑chairs Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak.
Other affiliations
Giegold has been involved with various European Green initiatives, including the Greens/EFA parliamentary group, and continues to engage in public speaking on topics such as economic governance, climate policy, and financial regulation.
