After a tendering process lasting several months, the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (Vzbv) has a new board member as of July 1: the long-standing Green Party politician Ramona Pop will be the new “first female consumer advocate” in the republic.

The former mayor of Berlin was Senator for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises in Michael Müller’s (SPD) cabinet until the end of 2021.

Marcus Young

Editor in Business.

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In the race for her party's top candidate, Pop lost out in the election campaign, with Bettina Jarasch becoming the top candidate.

The 44-year-old Pop has decided not to serve another term in the new Senate of the federal capital.

After around 20 years in politics, she said she was "in the mood for something new".

Wolfgang Schuldzinski, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vzbv, emphasized on Monday that Pop, as an experienced politician and manager, would "give a strong voice" to consumer protection in Germany.

The incoming board member is looking forward to representing the interests and rights of consumers.

"Especially in times of crisis, strong consumer protection is of great importance and gives people security," Pop is quoted as saying in a Vzbv statement.

The political scientist has been the third woman to head the organization since the association was founded 22 years ago.

Third woman at the top of Vzbv

Pop succeeds Jutta Gurkmann, who temporarily took over the position as board member of Vzbv for a few months and will now concentrate on her task as head of the important consumer policy division.

Gurkmann, who is a qualified lawyer, moved to the vacant position in March 2022 because long-standing board member Klaus Müller moved to Bonn as President of the Federal Network Agency in the spring.

Like Pop, Müller had government experience as a Green politician.

From 2000 to 2005 he was Minister of the Environment and Agriculture of Schleswig-Holstein.

Due to their comparable CVs, there was also criticism on Monday about the proximity of the green top staff to the umbrella organization of the German consumer protection centers.

The Vzbv describes itself as “party-neutral”.

When Müller switched to the association side in 2006, he gave up all party political offices, but is still a member of the Greens today.

Ramona Pop will probably handle this in a similar way.