Renate Schmidt

Renate Schmidt (née Pokorny; born 12 December 1943 in Hanau) is a German Social Democratic politician.

Her future husband, Gerhard Schmidt († 1984), with the assistance of both their families, supported her in raising the child while he attended university.

From 1994 to 2002, Renate Schmidt was a member of the Landtag of Bavaria, representing the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Nürnberg-Nord.

However, she had to change her mind in 2002, for on 22 October of the same year she became Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.

After the grand coalition took over power in 2005, Schmidt was discharged from her office and replaced by Ursula von der Leyen.