Helmut Frister elected new chair of the German Ethics Council
The neuroscientist Susanne Schreiber, the philosopher and digital ethicist Judith Simon, and the medical doctor and ethicist Eva Winkler were appointed as deputy chairs.
Bärbel Bas, President of the German Bundestag, congratulated the new chair and board. In her speech, she emphasised the importance of the Ethics Council: “For us members of the German Bundestag, your work is a great help. You help to objectify some emotional debates. You point out developments that must not be overlooked. And you point out conflicts that we have to negotiate here in the parliament.” The President of the Bundestag praised the Council’s work to date and encouraged it to continue to focus on important ethical debates, especially in times of polarisation and scepticism towards science.
In the further course of the meeting, the Council members took initial decisions on the future work programme: The next annual meeting of the German Ethics Council in June 2025 will address the topic of solidarity.
Photos of those elected, the President of the Bundestag and the entire Council can be downloaded from www.ethikrat.org/mediathek (photo credit: German Ethics Council / photo: Christian Thiel).
Background
The German Ethics Council is to have 26 members, half of whom will be appointed by the Federal Government and half by the German Bundestag. The Council members are appointed by the President of the Bundestag. The current Ethics Council comprises 25 members, as the AfD parliamentary group's nomination was rejected in the plenary session of the German Bundestag.
The Council members exercise their four-year mandate on an honorary basis and may be reappointed a maximum of once. They represent scientific, medical, theological, philosophical, ethical, social, economic and legal interests in a special way. In addition to scientists from the aforementioned scientific fields, the Council also includes people who are particularly familiar with ethical issues in the life sciences. They are intended to reflect the diversity of opinions in society.
The first German Ethics Council was set up in April 2008. It is based on the Ethics Council Act of July 2007, according to which the Council is to monitor the ethical, social, scientific, medical and legal issues and the likely consequences for individuals and society that arise in connection with research and developments, particularly in the field of life sciences and their application to humans.