Felix Banaszak (born 24 October 1989) is a German politician of the Alliance 90/The Greens who has been serving as a member of the Bundestag since the 2021 German federal election.
Since 2024, Banaszak has also been serving as co-leader of Alliance 90/The Greens, alongside Franziska Brantner.Peter Carstens and Matthias Wyssuwa (16 November 2024), Parteitag der Grünen: Brantner und Banaszak zu neuen Vorsitzenden gewählt Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Early career During his studies, Banaszak worked as legislative assistant to Dirk Behrendt at the State Parliament of Berlin. From 2014 to 2017, he managed the Düsseldorf offices of Members of the European Parliament Terry Reintke and Sven Giegold.Bernd Eyermann and Helge Matthiesen (1 February 2020), Interview mit Felix Banaszak: Co-Vorsitzende der NRW-Grünen: "1000 Schulen besonders fördern" General-Anzeiger.
Political career From 2013 to 2014, Banaszak co-chaired the Green Youth on the national level, alongside Theresa Kalmer.Grüne Jugend wählt neuen Bundesvorstand Bild.
Along with Volker Beck, Terry Reintke and Max Lucks, Banaszak was temporarily detained when Beck wanted to speak publicly at Istanbul Pride in June 2016.Carolin Skiba (28 June 2016), Duisburg: Grünen-Politiker in Türkei festgenommen Rheinische Post.German lawmaker temporarily detained at Istanbul gay parade Associated Press, 26 June 2016.
From 2018 to 2022, Banaszak served as co-chair of the Green Party in North Rhine-Westphalia, alongside Mona Neubaur.Landesparteitag: NRW-Grüne bestätigen Doppelspitze Neubaur und Banaszak Rheinische Post, 16 June 2018.
Member of the German Parliament, 2021–present In the negotiations to form a so-called traffic light coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Green Party and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) following the 2021 federal elections, Banaszak led his party's delegation in the working group on education policy; his co-chairs from the other parties were Andreas Stoch and Jens Brandenburg.Andreas Apetz and Thomas Kaspar (October 22, 2021), Ampel-Koalition: Alle Verantwortlichen, AGs und Themen im Überblick Frankfurter Rundschau.
Banaszak has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2021, elected after having been chosen for rank 6 on the NRW Green Party's closed state list. He also ran in the Duisburg II district, where he came in 4th in both elections. In parliament, he served on the Budget Committee, the Audit Committee and the Committee on Economic Affairs.Felix Banaszak Bundestag. On the Budget Committee, he was his parliamentary group's rapporteur on the annual budgets of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. On the Committee on Economic Affairs, he was his group's rapporteur on industrial policy and the energy sector.Theresa Martus (27 September 2024), Ein "Kind des Ruhrgebiets": Ist Felix Banaszak bald Grünen-Chef? Berliner Morgenpost.
In addition to his committee assignments, Banaszak has been a member of the German delegation to the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly since 2022.Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly Bundestag.
In the negotiations to form a coalition government of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Green Party under Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst following the 2022 state elections, Banaszak and Sven Giegold led their party's delegation in the working group on finances;Maximilian Plück (31 May 2022), Koalitionsverhandlungen für Schwarz-Grün: Diese Politiker verhandeln für die Grünen Rheinische Post. their counterparts from the CDU were Lutz Lienenkämper and Günter Krings.Maximilian Plück (30 May 2022), Koalitionsverhandlungen für Schwarz-Grün: Diese Politiker verhandeln für die CDU Rheinische Post.
Other activities GIZ, Member of the supervisory board (since 2022)Supervisory Board GIZ, press release of March 28, 2014. IG Metall, Member (since 2021)Felix Banaszak Bundestag. Sea-Watch, Member (since 2015)Felix Banaszak Bundestag. German United Services Trade Union (ver.di), Member (since 2014)Felix Banaszak Bundestag.
Political positions Within the Green Party, Banaszak is considered to be part of its left wing.Thomas Reisener (17 October 2017), Banaszak gegen Rettich: Machtkampf an der Grünen-Spitze in NRW Rheinische Post.
In his capacity as co-chair of the Green Youth, Banaszak opposed a 2014 motion to make the group's membership incompatible with a membership for Rote Hilfe e.V., a German far-left prisoner support group.Astrid Geisler (24 April 2014), Streit bei der Grünen Jugend: Wie links dürfen wir sein? Die Tageszeitung.
Personal life Banaszak has lived in DuisburgChristian Schmitt (15 September 2021), Felix Banaszak will Duisburgs Blick in die Zukunft richten Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung since 2014. He is bisexual, married to a woman and has a daughter (*2022).Theresa Martus (27 September 2024), Ein "Kind des Ruhrgebiets": Ist Felix Banaszak bald Grünen-Chef? Berliner Morgenpost.
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