Lord Michael German OBE

Biography

Lord (Michael) German led the Liberal Democrat group on Cardiff City Council for 12 years between 1983 and 1995. In 1997 he was awarded the OBE for political and community service in Wales. In 1999 he was elected to represent South Wales East in the first ever elections for the National Assembly for Wales. A year earlier he had been elected by his Party to be their leader in waiting for the National Assembly. In 2000 he took the party into a coalition government, holding the post of Deputy First Minister, and also various ministerial portfolios including the Economy, Europe and Rural Affairs. He led the Party in the National Assembly until December 2008, latterly chairing its Environment and Sustainability Committee. In 2007 he became the overall leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats - a post which until then had been designated for an MP at Westminster. In June 2010 he left the National Assembly to join the House of Lords.