Kristin Amel

**Kristin Sophie Amel** (née **Wechselbrücht**; 13 August 1972) is a Lungarian politician, who has served as Minister of Education and Technology in the Münd cabinet since 2017. A Social Democrat, she has additionally served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies for Aürbrück since 2009.

Amel was born to a working-class family in Darmräschen, Aürbrück (then-part of Boizenlohn). After graduating from secondary school in 1991, Amel moved to Plettenbrück to attend the University of Plettenbrück. While a university student, Amel became interested in left-wing politics and the labor movement. She graduated with a degree in Lungarian literature in 1994, and subsequently began working as a copy editor at the *Plettenbrücker Morgenpost*. She left this job in 1998, subsequently returning to her hometown and working as a copy editor for various news outlets such as *Bilder Aürbrück* and *Die Nordlander*. She left her career in copy editing in 2009, in order to enter politics.

Amel began her political career in 2009, after she was included on the Aürbrück list for the Social Democratic Party in the 2009 federal election. Amel went on to be elected to the Chamber of Deputies, representing the state of Aürbrück. While a legislator, Amel devoted herself to improving public education, and has advocated for a federalization of education. In 2012, she proposed nationalizing public education into a system similar to the Lungarian Health Service, and outlawing private education. In 2017, Amel was nominated by Lara Münd to serve as Minister of Education and Technology.

## Early life and family

Amel was born on 13 August 1972 in Darmräschen, Aürbrück (then-part of Boizenlohn) to parents Walter (born 1944) and Sandra Wechselbrücht (née *Heisig*; born 1944). The family was working-class; Walter worked in construction, while Sandra was a waitress at a small restaurant. They often struggled to make ends-meet, and frequently relied on government assistance programs. Amel's parents divorced in 1984, and she subsequently lived with her mother despite frequently visiting her father. Amel is the youngest of four children; her elder siblings are Raffaela, born  (1968-03-07) 7 March 1968 (age 55), Eric, born  (1969-11-16) 16 November 1969 (age 54), and Kaspar, born  (1971-02-18) 18 February 1971 (age 52). Amel grew up in a small, three-bedroom apartment.

## Education and early career

Amel began her education in 1978, attending a local, public primary school in Darmräschen, Aürbrück. While in primary school, Amel was a gifted student; her parents recognized her academic strengths, and prepared heavily for Amel to become the first in their family to attend university. She graduated from primary school in 1988, and subsequently enrolled in Rosengarten Gymnasium in Darmräschen, where she studied a literature and languages program. She graduated from secondary school in 1991.

After finishing her secondary education, Amel moved to Plettenbrück to enroll in the Faculty of Lungarian Language and Literature at the University of Plettenbrück. She graduated with a degree in Lungarian literature in 1994. After finishing her degree, Amel remained in Plettenbrück, and found work as a copy editor at newspaper *Plettenbrücker Morgenpost*. After her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, Amel returned to her hometown. She began working as a copy editor at *Bilder Aürbrück*, before leaving to work at *Die Nordlander* in 2004. In 2007, she left *Die Nordlander* and began working part-time.

## Political career

### Federal politics

Amel began her political career in 2009, after she was included on the Aürbrück list for the Social Democratic Party in the 2009 federal election. Amel went on to be elected to the Chamber of Deputies, representing the state of Aürbrück. While a legislator, Amel devoted herself to improving public education, and has advocated for a federalization of education. In 2012, she proposed nationalizing public education into a system similar to the Lungarian Health Service, and outlawing private education. In 2017, Amel was nominated by Lara Münd to serve as Minister of Education and Technology.

## Personal life

Amel began a relationship with Beratian art dealer Guran Amel in 2005, after having met at a lounge in Kolna. Four months after beginning their relationship, Guran moved from Kolna to Darmräschen, Aürbrück to further their relationship. They became engaged in 2007, and later married the following year. They have one child together: Ivan, born  (2014-02-03) 3 February 2014 (age 9), who was born through in-vitro fertilization.