Raphaela Kautz

**Raphaela Annieke Kautz** (née **Rathenau**; born 15 June 1972) is a Lungarian politician and lawyer, who has served as the Minister-President of Dettelsten since 2014, and leader of the Unionist Party in Dettelsten since 2012. She has additionally served in the Dettelsten Landkart since 2008. Kautz is the first woman to serve as head of government in Dettelsten, and additionally the first to lead the Unionists in the state.

Born in Gottfried, Dettelsten to a Lungarian father and Ardwallian mother, Kautz completed her secondary schooling in 1991. After graduating, she moved to Munbach to attend King's University Munbach, graduating with her law degree in 1996. After completing her education, Kautz returned to her home state, settling in Tschedeck, Dettelsten, and began working in private practice company law. She became partner at her firm in 2003. Kautz left her law career in 2008, in order to enter politics.

Kautz was elected to the Dettelsten Landkart in the 2008 Dettelsten state election, on behalf of the Unionist Party. While in the Landkart, Kautz focused on consumer protection issues, often working as a bipartisan figure with left-wing parties. In 2009, she was ranked as the most bipartisan Unionist in the Landkart. Following the resignation of state party leader Josef Gröb after the party's decimating loss in the 2012 state election, Kautz declared her candidacy to replace him, and was elected as the next state party leader. This made Kautz the first woman to lead the Unionists in Dettelsten. Following a successful vote of no-confidence launched against Valentin Scheibel and spearheaded by Kautz, Kautz led the party to victory in the snap 2014 state election, forming her own coalition government and becoming the first woman to serve as Minister-President of Dettelsten. She later declared her candidacy in the 2016 Unionist Party leadership election, where she placed fourth among nine candidates, behind Niclas Böhme. Kautz was reportedly offered a position by Böhme and Lara Münd in the Münd cabinet, but declined due to her opposition towards working with Münd.

Despite beginning her political career as a highly bipartisan moderate, Kautz has since aligned herself with the right-wing of the Unionist Party and established herself as a popular figure amongst Lungarian nationalists and right-wing populists. Campaigning on a staunchly anti-immigration platform, Kautz has been decried by pro-immigrant activists as xenophobic and racist, although she has denied both labels. She has been praised by the Lungarian People's Party and numerous attempts have been made to swing her to the party, although she has frequently stated that she will always remain a Unionist. Kautz has been theorized by some pundits as a potential future Prime Minister of Lungary.

## Early life and family

Kautz was born on 15 June 1972 in Gottfried, Dettelsten to parents Johann (1940–2006) and Elise Rathenau (née *Voorvidiek*; born 1941). Her parents met while graduate students at King's University Munbach; her mother was an international student from Ardwall. After graduating, they settled in Johann's home state of Dettelsten. Johann worked as a financier, while Elise worked as a translator and professor of Helonesian literature at the University of Dettelsten. Kautz was raised bilingually in both Lungarian and Ardwallian, but by age 12, she began speaking solely Lungarian and gradually lost her proficiency in Ardwallian.

Kautz is the elder of two children; her younger brother is Paul, born  (1974-02-17) 17 February 1974 (age 49). Paul also went on to work as a lawyer.

## Education and law career

Kautz began her education in 1978, attending a local, public primary school. While in primary school, Kautz excelled in reading and writing and was a highly intelligent student; however, she often got into trouble for insubordination and talking back to her teachers. She graduated from primary school in 1988, and subsequently enrolled in Gottfried Gymnasium, where she studied a social sciences program.

While a secondary school student, Kautz was scouted by a modeling agent in 1989, who had been impressed by Kautz's towering height (standing at 6 feet 1 inch), slim build, and strong bone structure. Despite wanting to sign with the agency, her mother forbade her. She went on to graduate from secondary school in 1991, subsequently moving to Munbach to enroll in the Faculty of Law at King's University Munbach. She graduated with her law degree in 1996. After graduating, Kautz returned to Dettelsten and began practicing company law at a private practice; she was made partner at her firm in 2003, and later left her law career to enter politics in 2008.

## Political career

### Early politics

Kautz was elected to the Dettelsten Landkart in the 2008 Dettelsten state election, on behalf of the Unionist Party. While in the Landkart, Kautz focused on consumer protection issues, often working as a bipartisan figure with left-wing parties. In 2009, she was ranked as the most bipartisan Unionist in the Landkart.

### State party leader and Minister-President

Following the resignation of state party leader Josef Gröb after the party's decimating loss in the 2012 state election, Kautz declared her candidacy to replace him, and was elected as the next state party leader. This made Kautz the first woman to lead the Unionists in Dettelsten. Following a successful vote of no-confidence launched against Valentin Scheibel and spearheaded by Kautz, Kautz led the party to victory in the snap 2014 state election, forming her own coalition government and becoming the first woman to serve as Minister-President of Dettelsten. She later declared her candidacy in the 2016 Unionist Party leadership election, where she placed fourth among nine candidates, behind Niclas Böhme. Kautz was reportedly offered a position by Böhme and Lara Münd in the Münd cabinet, but declined due to her opposition towards working with Münd.

Aligning herself with the right-wing of the Unionist Party, Kautz has established herself as a popular figure amongst Lungarian nationalists and right-wing populists. Campaigning on a staunchly anti-immigration platform, Kautz has been decried by pro-immigrant activists as xenophobic and racist, although she has denied both labels. She has been praised by the Lungarian People's Party and numerous attempts have been made to swing her to the party, although she has frequently stated that she will always remain a Unionist. Kautz has been theorized by some pundits as a potential future Prime Minister of Lungary.

## Personal life

Kautz began a relationship with Lungarian lawyer Erik Kautz in 1998. They became engaged in 2001, and later married the following year. They had two sons together: Peter, born  (2004-09-29) 29 September 2004 (age 19), and Alexander, born  (2005-12-16) 16 December 2005 (age 18). The family resided in a large, eight-bedroom home in the affluent town of Leonstein, Dettelsten. She has identified herself as a member of the Church of Lungary.

Raphaela filed for divorce from Erik in 2010, citing irreconcilable differences; the divorce was finalized the following year. In their divorce settlement, Raphaela was granted primary custody of their two children and their family home, while Erik was granted supervised visits on alternating weekends. In a 2016 interview, Raphaela stated that Erik suffered from alcoholism and had been physically abusive on two occasions; Erik denied the accusations and launched a defamation suit against Raphaela; the suit was settled out of court.

Kautz was born a dual citizen of Lungary and Ardwall. After facing criticism from some members of the right-wing, Kautz stated that she had denounced her Ardwallian citizenship and became solely a citizen of Lungary in 2017.