Kerstin von der Decken

Kerstin von der Decken was born on November 29, 1968, in Hamburg. She is a German legal expert and a politician who belongs to the Christian Democratic Union, often called the CDU.

Since 2022, she has worked as the State Minister of Justice and Health. She helps lead the government of Schleswig-Holstein, a state in Germany, under Daniel Günther, who is the Minister-President there. Her work focuses on making sure the laws are fair and that people stay healthy in her state.

Early life and career

Kerstin von der Decken studied Law and International Relations at the University of Bonn and Trier from 1988 to 1994.

She later became a Professor of International Law, European Law, foreign Public Law, and Comparative Law at the University of St. Gallen. In 2009, she was named Dean of the St. Gallen Faculty of Law.

In 2011, she moved to Kiel to teach Public law at the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel. She became Dean of the Faculty of Law in Kiel in 2016 and served in that role until 2018.

Political career

On 29 June 2022, Kerstin von der Decken became the State Minister of Justice and Health for Schleswig-Holstein, working in the government led by Daniel Günther. In this role, she also represents the state in the Bundesrat, where she serves on committees about legal matters and health.

She was part of the team discussing health issues when political parties were working together after the 2025 German elections. She worked with leaders from the Christian Democrats and other party members.