▁State ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁all - G erman ▁elections ▁for ▁the ▁Bund est ag ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁She ▁served ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁as ▁her ▁parliament ary ▁group ’ s ▁sp okes w oman ▁on ▁women ' s ▁policy . ▁During ▁that ▁time , ▁she ▁soon ▁acquired ▁a ▁reputation ▁for ▁being ▁independent ▁mind ed , ▁particularly ▁on ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁abort ion . ▁Most ▁not ably , ▁N ol te ▁voted ▁against ▁one ▁liberal ization ▁bill ▁supported ▁by ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁her ▁own ▁party . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Th uring ia ▁CD U . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁N ol te ▁became ▁the ▁Federal ▁Minister ▁of ▁Family ▁Affairs , ▁Senior ▁Cit iz ens , ▁Women ▁and ▁Youth . ▁She ▁was ▁ 2 8 ▁years ▁old , ▁making ▁her ▁the ▁young est ▁German ▁cabinet ▁minister ▁in ▁German ▁history . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁three ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁two ▁people ▁from ▁eastern ▁Germany ▁in ▁Chan cell or ▁Hel mut ▁K ohl ' s ▁ 1 6 - member ▁Cab inet ; ▁the ▁other ▁was ▁Environment ▁Minister ▁Ang ela ▁Mer kel . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁she ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Union ’ s ▁President ▁– ▁again ▁the ▁young est ▁ever . ▁In ▁ 1