Moritz Heimo Körner is a German politician of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament since 2019. He is member of the board of the Free Democratic Party in Germany.
Political career Career in state politics Körner joined the FDP in 2008. Since 2014, he has been a member of the party's leadership in North Rhine-Westphalia, under the leadership of successive chairmen Christian Lindner (2014-2017) and Joachim Stamp (since 2017).
From 2017 to 2019, Körner served as a member of the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia, representing Mettmann. At the time of his election, he was the parliament's youngest member. During his time in parliament, he served as his parliamentary group's spokesperson on universities.
Member of the European Parliament, 2019–present Körner has been a Member of the European Parliament since the 2019 European elections. He has since been serving on the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. In this capacity, he served as the Parliament's rapporteur on a 2020 scheme that linked member states' access to the Budget of the European Union to respecting the rule of law.Gabriela Baczynska (September 28, 2020), Exclusive: EU chair Germany proposes adherence to rule of law as key to getting bloc's cash Reuters. On the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, he also follows digital surveillance issues.Laurens Cerulus (21 December 2021), Polish spyware scandal stokes tensions with Brussels Politico Europe. In 2022, he joined the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware.Members of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware European Parliament.Parliament names MEPs to sit on three new committees European Parliament, press release of 24 March 2022.
In addition to his committee assignments, Körner is part of the Parliament's delegation for relations with China.Moritz Körner European Parliament. He is also a member of the Spinelli Group;Board & Members Spinelli Group. the European Parliament Intergroup on Anti-Corruption;Intergroup on Anti-Corruption European Parliament. the European Parliament Intergroup on Artificial Intelligence and Digital;Intergroup on Artificial Intelligence and Digital European Parliament. the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights;Members European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights. the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals;Members European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals. the European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas;Members 2019-2024 European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas. and of the URBAN Intergroup.Members URBAN Intergroup.
In the negotiations to form a so-called traffic light coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Green Party and the FPD following the 2021 federal elections, Körner was part of his party's delegation in the working group on financial regulation and the national budget, co-chaired by Doris Ahnen, Lisa Paus and Christian Dürr.Ampel-Koalition: Das sind die Verhandlungsteams von SPD, Grünen und FDP Deutschlandfunk, October 27, 2021.
In January 2022, Körner was nominated as Secretary General of the FDP in North Rhine-Westphalia, succeeding Johannes Vogel.Kirsten Bialdiga (10 January 2022), Wechsel an wichtiger Stelle: Moritz Körner wird NRW-FDP-Generalsekretär Rheinische Post.
Since 2024, Körner has been leading the group of FDP members in the European Parliament, succeeding Nicola Beer.FDP im Europaparlament stellt sich neu auf Free Democratic Party, press release of 10 January 2024.
Other activities Institute for European Politics (IEP), Member of the Board of TrusteesBoard of Trustees Institute for European Politics (IEP).
Personal life Körner is gay.Christian Knuth (3 May 2017),Moritz Körner: „Wir sind der schärfste Kontrast zur AfD." Männer.
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