Anja Siegesmund is the new national chair of the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation. The former Thuringian environment minister was elected on 14 November 2026 at the environmental organisation’s delegates’ meeting in Bad Hersfeld According to MDR, she received 70 of 131 votes in the second round. Her initial term is two years.
Siegesmund succeeds Olaf Bandt, who had led the organisation since 2019 and stepped down early. His successor therefore had to be chosen ahead of schedule. Siegesmund was among the candidates for the post, alongside former deputy chair Myriam Rapior and former state secretary Ernst-Christoph Stolper who had also put themselves forward for the position.
Siegesmund has experience in state government and a business association. The Green politician was environment minister in Thuringia and left office in 2023. She subsequently joined the German Association for Waste Management, Water and the Circular Economy. At the end of January 2026, she stepped down as its managing president after 20 months in the role.
The Thuringian branch of the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation hopes the change of leadership will mean greater consideration for smaller organisations in eastern Germany. Its chair, Burkhard Vogel said he expected Siegesmund to champion the interests of small state branches with limited resources. According to MDR, state branches in the eastern states have far fewer members than most in western Germany. They are therefore hoping for more financial support from the national organisation.
Siegesmund’s previous work is also relevant to the conservation project Green Belt As Thuringian environment minister, she had campaigned for the former inner-German border strip in the state to be designated a national natural monument. The environmental organisation’s honorary chair, Hubert Weiger, described her election as a boost for the project, which the organisation had initiated. Her election alone does not indicate what specific plans the national organisation will adopt under its new chair.
In Bad Hersfeld, delegates also unanimously adopted a policy motion in support of democracy and a strong civil society. It calls on the federal government to expand the participation rights of civil society organisations. According to the organisation, the motion also warns of far-right attacks on people involved in civic work. In her election speech, Siegesmund stressed the importance of a free and diverse civil society.
The environmental organisation lists climate protection, ecological farming, and the protection of species, forests and water among its areas of work. It says it has more than 676,000 members and supporters. Siegesmund leads the organisation alongside the other members of its national executive board.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).