Volker Wissing
Volker Wissing (born 22 April 1970) is a German lawyer and politician who has held several high‑level roles in both state and federal government. He served as Germany’s Minister for Transport and Digital Affairs from December 2021 to May 2025, and briefly as Minister of Justice from November 2024 to May 2025.
Wissing began his political career with the Free Democratic Party (FDP). He was a member of the German Bundestag from 2004 to 2013, where he chaired the Finance Committee from 2009 to 2013. In Rhineland‑Palatinate, he led the FDP branch from 2011 and helped bring the party back into the state parliament in 2016, serving as Deputy Minister‑President and State Minister for Economics, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture until 2021. He was the FDP’s General Secretary from 2020 to 2022.
In 2021 he moved to federal politics. As Transport and Digital Affairs Minister, he ordered the blocking of Russian airspace after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and proposed emissions reduction plans for the transport sector, which drew criticism from some scientists. He participated in international cabinet meetings in 2023 with Japan and France.
In November 2024, during a government crisis, Wissing left the FDP but stayed in the cabinet. He was appointed Minister of Justice, while continuing as Transport Minister. The 2025 federal election was a snap election, and the FDP failed to cross the 5% threshold.
Personal life: Wissing is married with one daughter and has lived in Bad Bergzabern and Berlin. He studied law at Saarland University and also studied at the University of Freiburg and the University of Münster, working earlier as a judge before pursuing politics.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:48 (CET).