Franz Müntefering

Franz Müntefering (born January 16, 1940) is a German politician.

He was born in Neheim (now part of Arnsberg) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1966. He was a member of the Bundestag from 1975 to 1992 and again since 1998; from 1995 to 1998 he was a member of the Landtag (state legislature) of North Rhine-Westphalia.

He was Bundesgeschäftsführer (managing director) of the SPD from 1995 to 1998, was the first to hold the new post of general secretary from 1999 to 2002, and thereafter became leader of the SPD faction in the Bundestag. In February 2004 he was designated to succeed Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as party chairman in March.