Bruella Kestenbaum

**Bruella Narine Kestenbaum** (born 16 October 1957) is a Lungarian politician and lawyer, who has served as Minister of Defense in the Münd cabinet since 2017. She additionally has served as the Minister-President of Outer Veckerland and leader of the Social Democratic Party in Outer Veckerland since 2014, and has served in the Outer Veckerland Landkart since 2006.

Born to a Lungarian father and Kabiran mother in Blomdrüngen, Creuzkirchen, Kestenbaum was raised in a middle-class family. After finishing her secondary schooling in 1977, Kestenbaum moved to Munbach to attend King's University Munbach, graduating with her law degree in 1983. After graduating, Kestenbaum found work as a legal adviser to the Creuzkirchen Landkart. Kestenbaum moved to Winterstühl, Outer Veckerland in 1990, and began practicing constitutional law at a private practice law firm. She left her job in private practice in 1995, and began working as a legal adviser at the Outer Veckerland Ministry of Justice, before returning to private practice work in 2001. Kestenbaum left her law career in 2006, in order to enter politics.

Kestenbaum was elected to the Outer Veckerland Landkart in the 2006 Outer Veckerland state election, on behalf of the Social Democratic Party. She quickly rose through the ranks of the party in Outer Veckerland, and was a vocal opponent of the way the party was led by Nils Bachmann. After Bachmann's resignation in 2014, Kestenbaum was elected leader of the Social Democratic Party in Outer Veckerland, and took office as Minister-President later that year. This made Kestenbaum the first person of Tarfican heritage to lead one of the states of Lungary, and she became a known figure nationwide. Kestenbaum stood as a candidate in the 2016 Social Democratic Party leadership election, where she finished third amongst seven candidates, behind eventual winner Lara Münd. Following the victory of the Social Democrats and Münd in the 2017 federal election, Kestenbaum was nominated by Münd as Minister of Defense, becoming the first woman to serve in this role and the first person of Tarfican descent to serve in a federal cabinet.

## Early life and family

Kestenbaum was born on 16 October 1957 in Blomdrüngen, Creuzkirchen to parents Wilhelm (1923–1978) and Cavara Kestenbaum (née *Tépé*; 1930–2004). Her father was Lungarian and worked in banking, while her mother was an immigrant from Kabira who worked at a daycare. Her parents met in the early 1950s, while Wilhelm was based out of Cape Granite, where Cavara was working as a nanny. Her father died of bone cancer in 1978. Kestenbaum is the second of three children; her siblings are Gruché, born  (1955-12-18) 18 December 1955 (age 68), and Palina, born  (1960-02-09) 9 February 1960 (age 63).

## Education and law career

Kestenbaum began her education in 1964, attending a local, public primary school in Blomdrüngen, Creuzkirchen. While in primary school, Kestenbaum recalls being a victim of racism from her peers, and was the only non-white student in her class. She graduated from primary school in 1974, and subsequently enrolled in Blomdrüngen Gymnasium, where she studied a social sciences program and graduated in 1977. She then moved to Munbach, and enrolled in the Faculty of Law at King's University Munbach, graduating with her law degree in 1983.

After graduating with her law degree, moved to Vöcklaling, Creuzkirchen, where she found work as a legal adviser to the Creuzkirchen Landkart. Kestenbaum moved to Winterstühl, Outer Veckerland in 1990, and began practicing constitutional law at a private practice law firm. She left her job in private practice in 1995, and began working as a legal adviser at the Outer Veckerland Ministry of Justice, before returning to private practice work in 2001. Kestenbaum left her law career in 2006, in order to enter politics.

## Political career

### Outer Veckerland state politics

Kestenbaum began her political career after she was elected to the Outer Veckerland Landkart in the 2006 Outer Veckerland state election, on behalf of the Social Democratic Party. She quickly rose through the ranks of the party in Outer Veckerland, and was a vocal opponent of the way the party was led by Nils Bachmann. After Bachmann's resignation in 2014, Kestenbaum was elected leader of the Social Democratic Party in Outer Veckerland, and took office as Minister-President later that year. This made Kestenbaum the first person of Tarfican heritage to lead one of the states of Lungary, and she became a known figure nationwide.

### Federal politics

Kestenbaum first entered federal politics after she stood as a candidate in the 2016 Social Democratic Party leadership election, where she finished third amongst seven candidates, behind eventual winner Lara Münd.

Following the victory of the Social Democrats and Münd in the 2017 federal election, Kestenbaum was nominated by Münd as Minister of Defense, becoming the first woman to serve in this role and the first person of Tarfican descent to serve in a federal cabinet.

## Personal life

Kestenbaum began a relationship with Lungarian civil rights lawyer Timothy Obernshafen in 1986. They became engaged in 1988, and married the following year. After marrying, they settled in Winterstühl, Outer Veckerland. Kestenbaum and Obernshafen have three children together: Matthias, born  (1991-03-22) 22 March 1991 (age 32), Hanna, born  (1992-12-01) 1 December 1992 (age 31), and Tomas, born  (1996-07-13) 13 July 1996 (age 27). Tomas is on the autism spectrum, and also has been diagnosed with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD.

Kestenbaum primarily resides in her family's five-bedroom home Winterstühl, although she also uses a two-bedroom apartment in Upper Munbach for her ministerial duties, which was first purchased in 2016. Kestenbaum is fluent in Lungarian, Draconian, and English, and identifies as a member of the Church of Lungary.