Véronique Rochsberg

**Véronique Rose Rochsberg** (born 17 March 1982) is a Frankish politician who has served as a member of the National Council since 2010. Rochsberg is a member of the National Democratic Party.

Rochsberg was born in Kalina and adopted as a six-month-old by a Frankish couple in Roussone, Jacel. Rochsberg grew up in Roussone, and completed secondary school in 2000. After graduating, she enrolled in the University of Jacel, and received a degree in political science in 2003. After finishing her education, Rochsberg began a career in politics, working as a policy coordinator and black voter outreach associate at the National Democratic Party headquarters in Gortzman. She left this job in 2007, after being elected as a state councillor in the State Council of Jacel. She won reelection in 2009, until leaving her seat in the midst of her second term in order to enter federal politics.

In 2010, Rochsberg was included on the federal list for the National Democratic Party in the 2010 federal election. She ultimately was elected to National Council, and later won reelection in the 2014 and 2018 elections. In 2018, Rochsberg declared her candidacy for one of the National Democratic Party seats in the Federal Council, in order to replace the retiring Henri Glaudette. She faced five other candidates in the 2018 Federal Council election, ultimately being eliminated in the second round of National Council voting.

## Early life and family

Rochsberg was born on 17 March 1982 in Nouet, and was orphaned as an infant. After spending the first few months of her life in an orphanage, Rochsberg was adopted by a Frankish couple and raised in Roussone. Her adoptive father is Henri Rochsberg (born 1938), who worked as a corporate attorney, and her adoptive mother is Melinda Rochsberg (née *Saint-Denis*; born 1940), who is a homemaker. Her parents had married later in life, and Melinda was unable to have children at such a point in her life. Rochsberg has two elder paternal half-brothers from her father's first marriage: François, born  (1970-07-22) 22 July 1970 (age 53), and Rémy, born  (1973-08-12) 12 August 1973 (age 50).

Both of Rochsberg's adoptive parents are Frank-Draconians, although Henri has some Austlungardian ancestry, and she was raised speaking Draconian. She grew up wealthy, living in a two-story, eight-bedroom home. Rochsberg has two younger siblings, both of whom are also adopted from Kalina; Christine, born  (1985-10-29) 29 October 1985 (age 38), and George, born  (1988-01-19) 19 January 1988 (age 36).

## Education and early career

Rochsberg began her education in 1988, attending a private primary school in Roussone. While in primary school, Rochsberg was a gifted student but was often bullied by other students for her skin color and ethnic origin. She also recalled instances of being treated differently by school faculty, often being miscategorized as attending the school on a scholarship or living in a poor neighborhood simply because she was black. She graduated from primary school in 1994, afterwards transferred to public schooling to begin attending a two-year pre-gymnasium school, before beginning gymnasium in 1996. She ultimately graduated with her high school diploma in 2000.

After graduating from secondary school, Rochsberg enrolled in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Jacel. She received her bachelor's degree in political science in 2003. After graduating with her degree, Rochsberg began working at the National Democratic Party headquarters in Gortzman, as a policy coordinator and black voter outreach associate. She left the position in 2007, in order to begin her own career in elected politics.

## Political career

Rochsberg began her political career in 2007, after being elected as a state councillor in the State Council of Jacel. She won reelection in 2009, until leaving her seat in the midst of her second term in order to enter federal politics.

In 2010, Rochsberg was included on the federal list for the National Democratic Party in the 2010 federal election. She ultimately was elected to National Council, and later won reelection in the 2014 and 2018 elections. In 2018, Rochsberg declared her candidacy for one of the National Democratic Party seats in the Federal Council, in order to replace the retiring Henri Glaudette. She faced five other candidates in the 2018 Federal Council election, ultimately being eliminated in the second round of National Council voting.

## Personal life

Rochsberg is unmarried and has no children. In 2014, she became engaged to Frankish business executive Simon Preneuve, but they called their engagement off later that year and broke up. In 2019, she announced her engagement to Mornguardian political consultant Jesper Hansen.

Rochsberg owns a home in Jacel, and an apartment in Gortzman which she shares with Emelina Ruozzi, whom she has called one of her best friends. She is fluent in Draconian, Lungarian, Regian, and English. Rochsberg is a practicing Eurean Catholic.