Ursula von der Leyen

Dr. Ursula von der Leyen Ursula von der Leyen studied economics at the University of Göttingen, the University of Münster and the London School of Economics and Political Science. From 1980 to 1987 she attended Hanover Medical School (MHH). She obtained her Dissertation in Medicine in 1991 and was awarded the degree of Dr. med. Ursula von der Leyen started her political activities in 1990 when she became a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In 2003 she became a member of the Lower Saxony state parliament and was appointed State Minister of Social Affairs, Women, Family Affairs and Health. In 2005 Ursula von der Leyen started her career in federal politics as Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. In 2009 she became a Member of Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) and was appointed as Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. In 2013 she was appointed as Minister of Defence. Ursula von der Leyen was born in Brussels in 1958. She lives near Hanover. She is married with Professor Heiko von der Leyen. The couple has seven children.