Matthias Ecke

Matthias Ecke MEP
Member of the European Parliament for Germany
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 October 2022
Preceded by	Constanze Krehl
Personal details
Born	12 April 1983 (1983-04-12) (age 41) Meerane, East Germany (now Germany)
Political party	Social Democratic Party of Germany

Matthias Ecke (born 12 April 1983) is a German politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party since 2022.[1][2]

Early career

Before entering the European Parliament, Ecke worked as advisor to Martin Dulig at Saxony's State Ministry for Economic Affairs.[2]

Political career

In parliament, Ecke has been serving on the Committee on Regional Development.[3] In addition to his committee assignments, he is part of the parliament's delegation for relations with Belarus.[3]

Assault in 2024

In 2024, Ecke was assaulted by a group of four young males while putting up campaign posters in Dresden-Striesen ahead of the 2024 European Parliament election in Germany and had to undergo an emergency surgery.[4] The same group attacked two teams of Green Party election workers in the same night, leaving a 28-year-old injured.[5]

A 17-year-old from the group of perpetrators, who a witness identified as belonging to the far-right, turned himself in to the police one day after the attack.[6] By 5 May, the Saxony police had also identified the three other perpetrators.[7]

German chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said that the attack on Ecke was "depressing" and that democracy was threatened by such acts.[2] Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) warned "extremists and populists are stirring up a climate of increasing violence". Social Democrats blamed supporters of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the attack.[5]

References

1. "Home | Matthias ECKE | Abgeordnete | Europäisches Parlament". www.europarl.europa.eu (in German). 12 April 1983. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
2. "Scholz fordert geschlossenes Vorgehen gegen rechts" [Scholz demands united action against the right]. Der Spiegel (in German). 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
3. Matthias Ecke European Parliament.
4. "Campaign violence: SPD candidate Matthias Ecke severely injured in brutal assault in Dresden". today.rtl.lu. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
5. "European election: German Chancellor Scholz condemns attack on Matthias Ecke". 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
6. "Europaabgeordnetem das Jochbein gebrochen: 17-Jähriger stellt sich nach Angriff auf SPD-Politiker Matthias Ecke in Dresden" [European parliamentarian had his cheekbone fractured: after attack on SPD politician Matthias Ecke, 17-year-old turns himself in]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). 2024-05-05. ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
7. "Alle vier Verdächtigen identifiziert" [All four suspects identified]. Tagesschau (in German). 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-10.

See also

• List of members of the European Parliament for Germany, 2019–2024