Rita Süssmuth, a German politician and former president of the Bundestag, died on February 1, 2026, at age 88.
A member of the Christian Democratic Union, she served as Federal Minister for Youth, Family and Health from 1985 to 1988, including the ministry’s later portfolio for youth, family, women and health. She was president of the Bundestag from 1988 to 1998, the tenth person to hold the post, and later served as president of European Movement Germany from 1994 to 1998.
From 1997 to 2007, she was a member of the Advisory Board and Board of Trustees of the Bertelsmann Foundation.
Rita Süssmuth (née Kickuth; German: [ˈʁiːta ˈzyːsmuːt] ; 17 February 1937 – 1 February 2026) was a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) who served as the tenth president of the Bundestag.