Leader of the Christian Democratic Union

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Leader of the Christian Democratic Union
Vorsitzender der Christlich Demokratischen Union
CDU Logo 2023.svg
Friedrich Merz 2024.jpg
Incumbent
Friedrich Merz
since 31 January 2022
Type1029
Member ofFederal Executive Presidium
Seat Konrad-Adenauer-Haus
Formation1 March 1946
First holder Konrad Adenauer
Website https://www.cdu.de/ueber-uns/struktur-der-cdu

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]

Contents

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)

A list of leaders since 1946 [2]

PortraitName
(Born–Died)		Term of officeStateChancellor
Took officeLeft officeDays
1 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F078072-0004, Konrad Adenauer.jpg Konrad Adenauer
(1876–1967)		1 March 194623 March 196620 years, 22 daysFlag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg  North Rhine-Westphalia Himself
Ludwig Erhard
2 Einde bezoek bondskanselier dr Ludwig Erhard en gaf persconferentie in het Haag, Bestanddeelnr 916-1330.jpg Ludwig Erhard
(1897–1977)
[a] 		23 March 196623 May 19671 year, 61 daysFlag of Baden-Wurttemberg.svg  Baden-Württemberg Himself
Kurt Georg Kiesinger
3 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F024017-0001, Oberhausen, CDU-Parteitag Rheinland, Kiesinger.jpg (cropped).jpg Kurt Georg Kiesinger
(1904–1988)		23 May 19675 October 19714 years, 135 daysFlag of Baden-Wurttemberg.svg  Baden-Württemberg Himself
Willy Brandt
4 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F027712-0016, Bonn, CDU Vorstandssitzung, Rainer Barzel.jpg Rainer Barzel
(1924–2006)		5 October 197112 June 19731 year, 250 daysFlag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg  North Rhine-Westphalia Willy Brandt
5 KAS-Kohl, Helmut-Bild-14701-1.jpg Helmut Kohl
(1930–2017)		12 June 19737 November 199825 years, 148 daysFlag of Rhineland-Palatinate.svg  Rhineland-Palatinate Willy Brandt
Helmut Schmidt
Himself
6 WSchaeuble.jpg Wolfgang Schäuble
(1942–2023)		7 November 199816 February 20001 year, 101 daysFlag of Baden-Wurttemberg.svg  Baden-Württemberg Gerhard Schröder
7 Angela Merkel 2019 cropped.jpg Angela Merkel
(born 1954)		10 April 20007 December 201818 years, 241 daysFlag of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.svg  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Gerhard Schröder
Herself
8 AV0A3388 Dr. Frauke Gerlach, Armin Laschet Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (Hintergrund retuschiert).jpg Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer
(born 1962)		7 December 201822 January 20212 years, 46 daysFlag of Saarland.svg  Saarland Angela Merkel
9 Armin Laschet 2021 (cropped).jpg Armin Laschet
(born 1961)		22 January 202131 January 20221 year, 9 daysFlag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg  North Rhine-Westphalia Angela Merkel
Olaf Scholz
10 Friedrich Merz 2024.jpg Friedrich Merz
(born 1955)		31 January 2022Incumbent2 years, 346 daysFlag of North Rhine-Westphalia.svg  North Rhine-Westphalia Olaf Scholz

Timeline

Friedrich MerzArmin LaschetAnnegret Kramp-KarrenbauerAngela MerkelWolfgang SchäubleHelmut KohlRainer BarzelKurt Georg KiesingerLudwig ErhardKonard AdenauerLeader of the Christian Democratic Union

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 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]

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References

  1. ↑ "Friedrich Merz takes over as leader of Germany's Christian Democrats". The Economist. 22 January 2022. ISSN   0013-0613 . Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Startseite". Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (in German). Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  3. ↑ Kellerhoff, Sven Felix (25 April 2007). "Der Kanzler, der nie Mitglied seiner Partei war". Die Welt . Retrieved 25 April 2018.
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