The Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (Vorsitzender der Christlich Demokratischen Union) is the most senior political figure within the Christian Democratic Union of Germany. Since 31 January 2022, the office has been held by Friedrich Merz, who succeeded Armin Laschet.[1]
| Leader of the Christian Democratic Union | |
|---|---|
| Vorsitzender der Christlich Demokratischen Union | |
 | |
| Type | 1029 |
| Member of | Federal Executive Presidium |
| Seat | Konrad-Adenauer-Haus |
| Formation | 1 March 1946 |
| First holder | Konrad Adenauer |
| Website | https://www.cdu.de/ueber-uns/struktur-der-cdu |
The Leader of the Christian Democratic Union Party is supported by a General Secretary who, since 12 July 2023, has been Carsten Linnemann.
Leaders of the Christian Democratic Union (1946–present) edit
A list of leaders since 1946[2]
| Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | State | Chancellor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Days | |||||
| 1 | 
|
Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) |
1 March 1946 | 23 March 1966 | 20 years, 22 days |  North Rhine-Westphalia
|
Himself Ludwig Erhard |
| 2 | 
|
Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977) [a] |
23 March 1966 | 23 May 1967 | 1 year, 61 days |  Baden-Württemberg
|
Himself Kurt Georg Kiesinger |
| 3 | .jpg)
|
Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1904–1988) |
23 May 1967 | 5 October 1971 | 4 years, 135 days | Baden-Württemberg
|
Himself Willy Brandt |
| 4 | 
|
Rainer Barzel (1924–2006) |
5 October 1971 | 12 June 1973 | 1 year, 250 days | North Rhine-Westphalia
|
Willy Brandt |
| 5 | .jpg)
|
Helmut Kohl (1930–2017) |
12 June 1973 | 7 November 1998 | 25 years, 148 days |  Rhineland-Palatinate
|
Willy Brandt Helmut Schmidt Himself |
| 6 | 
|
Wolfgang Schäuble (1942–2023) |
7 November 1998 | 16 February 2000 | 1 year, 101 days | Baden-Württemberg
|
Gerhard Schröder |
| 7 | 
|
Angela Merkel (born 1954) |
10 April 2000 | 7 December 2018 | 18 years, 241 days |  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
|
Gerhard Schröder Herself |
| 8 | .jpg)
|
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (born 1962) |
7 December 2018 | 22 January 2021 | 2 years, 46 days |  Saarland
|
Angela Merkel |
| 9 | .jpg)
|
Armin Laschet (born 1961) |
22 January 2021 | 31 January 2022 | 1 year, 9 days | North Rhine-Westphalia
|
Angela Merkel Olaf Scholz |
| 10 | .jpg)
|
Friedrich Merz (born 1955) |
31 January 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 74 days | North Rhine-Westphalia
|
Olaf Scholz |
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ There is uncertainty over the question whether Erhard was ever actually a member of the CDU. Reports at the time suggested that he joined the party when he became chairman, although his membership was backdated by three years. However, reports in 2007 suggested that Erhard never actually joined the CDU. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which holds the party archives, reported that the question could "not be answered conclusively."[3]
References edit
- ^ "Friedrich Merz takes over as leader of Germany's Christian Democrats". The Economist. 22 January 2022. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Startseite". Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (in German). Retrieved 24 April 2018.
- ^ Kellerhoff, Sven Felix (25 April 2007). "Der Kanzler, der nie Mitglied seiner Partei war". Die Welt. Retrieved 25 April 2018.