From 1998 to 2009 Griefahn was a Member of the German Parliament ("Bundestag") and served as chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Media from July 2000 to September 2005. From 1999 to 2000 and then from 2005 to 2009 she was also the spokesperson for the parliamentary group of the SPD for the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Media as well as for the Sub-Committee on Cultural Policy Abroad. Furthermore, she was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and of the Sub-committees on Cultural Policy Abroad and New Media.
