Katja Kipping, born 1978 in Dresden, is Left Party vice chair (DIE LINKE) and member of the federal parliament (Bundestag) in Germany.

In her early years involved with environmental and youth movements, Kipping joined the east german democratic socialist party (PDS) at the age of twenty. The following year she was elected as an councilwoman in Dresden and also won a seat in the state elections for the Saxon parliament where she dedicated herself mainly to environmental (and esp. public transport policy and noise protection) issues. After a voluntary social year in Russia, she studied in Dresden Slavic studies, American studies and Law (1997-2003, MA).

Vice chairwoman of her party since 2003, since then responsible for social policy and co-operation with extra-parliamentary movements, among other things she coordinated the participation in the protests against the G8-Summit in 2007.

After the fusion of the PDS with the west german "Electoral Alternative" (WASG) she was re-elected as vice chairwoman to the new party "The Left".

2004 to 2008 co-founder and spokesperson for the nationwide Basic Income Network (www.grundeinkommen.de).

Since 2005 in the Bundestag, she is parliamentary spokeswoman for the Left for social policy and is committed that no person shall recieve income below 800 Euros.

Member of the editorial team of the magazine »prague spring« (www.prager-fruehling-magazin.de). Kipping is also the leading person of a group of young people in the Left Party with their own vision of politics, the "Emancipatory Left" (www.emanzipatorische-linke.de).

Recent book: "Ausverkauf der Politik - Für einen demokratischen Aufbruch" (Sellout of politics - For a democratic awakening), Berlin 2009.

Website: www.katja-kipping.de

Location: Dresden and Berlin, Germany