Karin Prien

Karin Prien is a German lawyer and politician who has served as the Federal Minister for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz since 2025. A member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), she previously served as the State Minister of Education, Science and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein from 2017 to 2025. Prien, who is of Jewish ancestry, has been a prominent figure in the CDU, serving as one of the party's deputy chairs since 2022. Her career includes extensive work as a lawyer specializing in commercial and insolvency law, as well as service in the Hamburg Parliament. She is known for her advocacy within the party's liberal wing and her focus on education policy.