He was a member of the Budget Committee, where he served as his parliamentary group's rapporteur on the budget of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the Thuringian SPD parliamentary caucus, of which he became speaker in 2005.
He was a member of the Budget Committee, where he served as his parliamentary group's rapporteur on the budgets of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Office of the Federal President. He is also a member of the Thuringian SPD parliamentary caucus, of which he became speaker in 2005.