Renata Alt, a member of the German Bundestag for the FDP, is a woman of three nations. A Slovak native, she lived in Czechia before moving to Germany in 1993, where she married. Growing up behind the Iron Curtain, she naturally developed an interest in foreign relations and politics. She joined the FDP in 2009, as Renata describes it, “at a difficult time when the party was going through inner turmoil.”
Many members argued that the FDP needed a complete overhaul to appeal to younger people. “I found it sad because I associated the FDP with its long-time leader Hans- Dietrich Genscher – a man who frequently visited Czechoslovakia before the Velvet Revolution and who played a role in opening the borders in December 1989. For me, he was the embodiment of freedom,” Renata explains. This is why she was among those striving to modernize the FDP. Since 2017, she has represented the party in the Bundestag.
You‘ve been serving in the Bundestag for over seven years. In an earlier interview, you mentioned your goal to improve digitalization in healthcare and education and significantly reduce bureaucracy. Have you succeeded?
Digitalization and reducing bureaucracy have been among the key goals of our Free Democratic Party, which we also worked on as a coalition partner in government since February 2022. We managed to digitalize many administrative processes, such as obtaining ID cards and passports, simplifying business registration, and introducing a digital health card. Reducing bureaucracy remains a necessity in Germany and must continue to be a priority, as many processes are outdated. We passed four legislative “packages” aimed at a comprehensive reduction of bureaucracy. It‘s not enough – we were preparing more, but the upcoming election won‘t allow us to implement them.
Women‘s participation in politics remains low in Czechia. How does the situation look in Germany?
In Germany, the number of women participating in politics remains low. In our party, only 30% of members are women. This is understandable, as many young women prefer to focus on their children because childcare is not sufficiently accessible everywhere. Others wish to stay in their professions but lack the time for politics in the evenings. Party committees and meetings are usually held in the evenings or on weekends, taking a great deal of time. We are also experiencing significant psychological pressure from the public, voters, and even our party base. Few women want to expose themselves to such pressure. To succeed, it‘s crucial to have a partner who supports their work in politics. Men often have it easier as politicians. I also have the impression that women must exert much more effort than men in politics to gain the same recognition and respect.
What are the most effective female advantages in political negotiations and achieving specific goals?
A major advantage for women is their ability to see situations in a more multidimensional way, seek long-term solutions to problems, and analyze issues in greater detail. Unfortunately, women still don‘t support each other as intensely as men do in politics. More networking and mutual support would greatly benefit women everywhere.
Renata Alt with her husband Thomas.
Germany faces economic challenges, with issues in the automotive industry, anticipated bank failures, and more. What do you see as the causes?
The situation in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, gastronomy, and beyond is very concerning to me. The causes include long-neglected modernization, high energy prices due to Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, and Germany‘s dependence on Russia. Shutting down nuclear power plants was a major mistake, as was some companies‘ singular focus on electromobility – which highlights management errors as well. Companies that struggled with industrial transformation and structural changes even before COVID and survived only thanks to state support will now have to rethink their production, demand, and overall business models. However, this is a pan-European process.
You are Slovak, lived in Czechia, and have long resided in Germany. How would you describe the differences between the three national mentalities? What positive takeaways from the German approach to life are there for us as Czechs and Slovaks?
The mentalities are very diverse even within Germany. In Bavaria, for instance, the mentality is completely different from that in Baden-Württemberg. Bavarians tend to be more humorous, generous, and very helpful. In Baden-Württemberg, it‘s said that people go to the basement to laugh, which I can confirm. What Germans across regions share is a high level of professionalism, a drive to solve problems quickly, and a constructive approach. Courtesy in parliament and towards journalists is a matter of course. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Slovakia or Czechia, where insulting one another is quite common.
Do you find time for your favorite pastimes of skiing and golf amid your workload? And what has recently caught your interest in literature?
Unfortunately, I‘ve had no time for hobbies since 2017. Politics and business trips consume almost all my time every day. I love reading, but I now focus primarily on technical literature about international politics.
Do you miss Slovakia or Czechia?
Slovakia and Czechia are constantly on my mind. Part of my family lives in Slovakia, part in Czechia, and we often stay in touch. I deeply miss the Krkonoše and High Tatras, where I loved skiing. I‘m always very happy when I can find time amid all my commitments for bryndzové halušky and a visit to Hradčany in Prague.
CV BOX
Renata Alt (born August 27, 1965, in Skalica, Slovakia) is a member of the German Bundestag for the FDP (Free Democratic Party).
She graduated from the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava with a degree in food technology, fermentation chemistry, and bioengineering, and is a chemical engineer.
After her studies, she worked at the foreign trade company Technopol and later at the Czechoslovak Ministry of Foreign Trade.
In 1993, she became a trade attaché in Munich. She then married German citizen Thomas Alt and in 2000 obtained German citizenship.
She had long been drawn to politics, with a particular affinity for the FDP, where she became involved. In 2017, she was elected to the German Bundestag for this party, where she continues to serve.
She enjoys skiing, playing golf, and visiting galleries. She is interested in literature, listens to jazz and classical music, and speaks Slovak, English, German, Russian, and some French. Together with her husband, she owns the business company Consultex.
