Mark Helfrich (politician)

Helfrich studied in the Auguste Viktoria School in Itzehoe from 1989 to 1999, and also studied Business Studies from 2000 to 2004 at PFH Göttingen.^[1]

In 1995, Helfrich joined the Junge Union and was district chairman of the JU Steinberg from 2000 to 2002. Since 2002, Helfrich has been a board member of the CDU Steinberg and served as treasurer from 2010 to 2014.^[1]

Helfrich became a member of the Bundestag in the 2013 German federal election, succeeding Rolf Koschorrek in the district of Steinburg – Dithmarschen Süd.^[2] Helfrich received 45.4% of the vote in his district, with a margin of around 11 points over his closest challenger from the SPD.^[3] From 2013 until 2014, he served on the Committee on Labor and Social Affairs as well as the Parliamentary Advisory Board on Sustainable Development.

In the 2017 German federal election, Helfrich received a slightly reduced 41.9% in his district.^[4] Since 2018, he has been a member of the Committee on European Union Affairs and the Committee on Economic and Energy Affairs.^[5][6]

In the 2021 German federal election, Helfrich barely won his seat, receiving 29.2% of the vote and winning by a margin of 52 votes.^[7] He has been serving as his parliamentary group's spokesperson for energy policy.^[8]

In the 2025 German federal election, Helfrich received 35.0% of the vote in his district, the most of any candidate in Schleswig-Holstein.^[9] Since May 13, 2025, Helfrich has taken over as chairman of the CDU state group in Schleswig-Holstein.^[10]

• Nuclear Waste Disposal Fund (KENFO), Alternate Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2025)^[11]
• Agora Energiewende, Member of the Council^[12]
• German Industry Initiative for Energy Efficiency (DENEFF), Member of the Parliamentary Advisory Board^[13]
• Rotary International, Member