Career
Since 2014, he has been the State Minister of Economy, Science and the Digital Society in the government of Thuringia"s Minister-President Bodo Ramelow
Originally an electrical engineer, Tiefensee turned to politics in 1989, during the democratization process of the German Democratic Republic. Mayor of Leipzig, 1998–2005
Tiefensee was elected mayor of Leipzig in 1998, and was re-elected with 67.1% of the vote in April 2005. Before 2005, he declined offers of a position in the federal government, stating his place was in Leipzig.
As mayor, he put great effort into Leipzig"s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
Role in national politics
In 2007, Tiefensee chaired talks following which European Union transport ministers agreed unanimously to end talks with a private consortium contracted to develop the Galileo satellite navigation system and to spend €2.4 billion ($32 billion) to build it themselves instead. Tiefensee resigned from his seat in parliament when he became State Minister of Economy, Science and the Digital Society in the government of Thuringia"s Minister-President Bodo Ramelow in 2014.
As one of the state"s representatives at the Bundesrat, he serves on the Committee on Cultural Affairs and on the Committee on Economic Affairs. Thüringer Aufbaubank (Technical Assistance Board), Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen (LEG), Ex-Officio Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2014)
Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie, Chairman (since 2012).