Serpil Midyatli


Serpil Midyatli is a German politician who has been serving as deputy leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD, and chairwoman of the SPD in Schleswig-Holstein since 2019.

Political career

Midyatli joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany in 2000. She was part of the local municipal council in Kiel-Gaarden. Since the 2009 election Midyatli is a member of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein, where she is deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group. In addition, she serves on the Committee on Social Affairs.
Midyatli's political topics of interest include social integration, equality, family policy, and other social issues. She is considered part of the left wing within the Social Democratic Party.
In March 2019 Midyatli became leader of the SPD in Schleswig-Holstein, succeeding Ralf Stegner to be the first woman in the office. On 6 December she was elected as one of five deputy federal chairpersons of her party. Prior to this, she supported Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans in the leadership election.

Personal life

Midyatli was born in 1975 in Kiel, where she also grew up. Her parents are Turkish immigrants. She is a Muslim, married, and has two sons.
After graduating from the Realschule in 1992, Midyatli originally planned to study law. Instead she came to lead a restaurant owned by her parents at the age of 18. She later ran a concert hall, a catering company, and founded a cultural event company with her husband.