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Christian Lindner

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Christian Lindner

Christian Wolfgang Lindner (German: [ˈkʁɪsti̯an ˈvɔlfɡaŋ ˈlɪndnɐ] ; born 7 January 1979) is a German retired politician of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) who was the Federal Minister of Finance from 2021 until his dismissal in 2024 during the 2024 German government crisis. Serving from 2013 to 2025, Lindner was the longest-serving party-leader of the FDP and a Member of the Bundestag (MdB) for North Rhine-Westphalia from 2017 to 2025, having previously held a seat from 2009 until 2012. Lindner resigned as party leader and announced his retirement from active politics after the FDP dropped out of parliament as a result of the 2025 federal election. His decision to withdraw from the Scholz cabinet is often considered the main catalyst for the party's inability to enter the Bundestag in the election.

Infobox

Deputy
Katja SudingMichael TheurerStephan ThomaeAlexander Graf LambsdorffChristian DürrFrank Sitta
GeneralSecretary
Nicola BeerLinda TeutebergVolker WissingMarco Buschmann
Preceded by
Multi-member district
Succeeded by
Ute Dreckmann
Chancellor
Olaf Scholz
Chief Whip
Marco Buschmann
Leader
Guido Westerwelle Philipp Rösler
Parliamentary constituencies
Parliamentary constituencies Member of the Bundestag for North Rhine-WestphaliaIn office24 October 2017 – 25 March 2025Preceded byMulti-member districtConstituencyFree Democratic Party listIn office27 October 2009 – 10 July 2012Preceded byMulti-member districtSucceeded byHans-Werner EhrenbergConstituencyFree Democratic Party listMember of the Landtag of North Rhine-WestphaliaIn office31 May 2012 – 10 October 2017Preceded byMulti-member districtSucceeded byLorenz DeutschConstituencyFree Democratic Party listIn office1 June 2000 – 18 November 2009Preceded byMulti-member districtSucceeded byUte DreckmannConstituencyFree Democratic Party list
Constituency
Free Democratic Party list
Born
Christian Wolfgang Lindner (1979-01-07) 7 January 1979 (age 46)Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany(current-day Germany)
Political party
FDP (1995–present)
Spouses
mw- Dagmar Rosenfeld (m. 2011; div. 2020) Franca Lehfeldt (m. 2022)
Alma mater
University of Bonn (MA)
Allegiance
Germany
Branch/service
Bundeswehr
Years of service
2002–present
Rank
Major
Unit
German Air Force Reserve
Party
FDP (1995–present)

Tables

· External links
Preceded byDirk Niebel
Preceded byDirk Niebel
Party political offices
Preceded byDirk Niebel
Party political offices
Secretary General of the Free Democratic Party 2009–2011
Party political offices
Succeeded byPatrick Döring
Preceded byPhilipp Rösler
Preceded byPhilipp Rösler
Party political offices
Preceded byPhilipp Rösler
Party political offices
Leader of the Free Democratic Party 2013–present
Party political offices
Incumbent
Political offices
Political offices
Party political offices
Political offices
Preceded byOlaf Scholz
Preceded byOlaf Scholz
Party political offices
Preceded byOlaf Scholz
Party political offices
Minister of Finance 2021–2024
Party political offices
Succeeded byJörg Kukies
Party political offices
Preceded byDirk Niebel
Secretary General of the Free Democratic Party 2009–2011
Succeeded byPatrick Döring
Preceded byPhilipp Rösler
Leader of the Free Democratic Party 2013–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byOlaf Scholz
Minister of Finance 2021–2024
Succeeded byJörg Kukies

References

  1. German Federal Ministry of Finance
    https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/DE/Standardartikel/Ministerium/Leitung/christian-lindner-neuer-finanzminister.html
  2. Die Bundesregierung
    https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/geschaeftsordnung-der-bundesregierung-459846
  3. Tagesschau
    https://www.tagesschau.de/eilmeldung/eilmeldung-8444.html
  4. Bloomberg
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-23/germany-s-former-finance-minister-lindner-ends-political-career
  5. "Im Sprint ins Ziel: Mathematik in vier Semestern – Juni – Universität – FernUniversität in Hagen"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20101217060237/http://fernuni-hagen.de/universitaet/aktuelles/2008/06/30-ak-sprint-studium-mathe.shtml
  6. (In german: Steuerwettbewerb und Finanzausgleich. Kann die Finanzverfassung reformiert werden?), »Bambi« legt los., Der
  7. Daniel Dettling (Hrsg.): Minima Moralia der nächsten Gesellschaft. Standpunkte eines neuen Generationenvertrags. VS Verl
  8. Verbindungsoffizier zum Landeskommando. In: Rheinische Post. 26 July 2008.
  9. Handelsblatt
    https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/luftwaffenreserve-de-maiziere-befoerdert-lindner-zum-hauptmann/4617000.html
  10. "Christian Lindner CV English"
    https://www.christian-lindner.de/sites/default/files/2021-07/CV%20english.pdf
  11. www.christian-lindner.de
    https://www.christian-lindner.de/sites/default/files/2021-07/CV%20english.pdf
  12. "FDP general secretary Lindner resigns"
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  14. Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen
    https://web.archive.org/web/20181213124753/https://www.landtag.nrw.de/portal/WWW/Webmaster/GB_I/I.1/Abgeordnete/abgeordnetendetail.jsp?k=01404
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  23. MDR.DE
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  24. Politico
    https://www.politico.eu/article/meet-germany-new-government-scholz-cabinet/
  25. "Tysk minister: Nye G7-sanksjoner burde rettes mot russiske oligarker"
    https://www.abcnyheter.no/nyheter/verden/2022/03/06/195830744/tysk-minister-nye-g7-sanksjoner-burde-rettes-mot-russiske-oligarker
  26. FAZ.NET
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  27. Українська правда
    https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/03/29/7335467/
  28. Euractiv
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  29. www.gdp.de
    https://www.gdp.de/gdp/gdpbupo.nsf/id/DG_13_BZGZoll_Sanktionen-durchsetzen-und-Geldwaesche-bekaempfen
  30. "Christian Lindner treibt Pläne für Bundesfinanzkriminalamt voran"
    https://www.diruj.net/news/christian-lindner-treibt-plaene-fuer-bundesfinanzkriminalamt-voran-2/
  31. ""Lindner schafft es nicht zu liefern""
    https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/christian-lindner-kriminalitaet-geldwaesche-1.6246893
  32. Reuters
    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/german-finance-minister-defends-2023-debt-brake-suspension-forced-by-court-2023-12-01/
  33. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0kr91zqp0lo
  34. Politico
    https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-halt-new-ukraine-military-aid-report-war-russia/
  35. TVP World
    https://tvpworld.com/79939063/germany-to-limit-military-aid-to-ukraine-due-to-budget-cuts
  36. Politico
    https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-struggles-to-contain-migration-influx/
  37. Tagesschau
    https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/eilmeldung-ampelregierung-scholz-entlaesst-lindner-100.html
  38. DIE WELT
    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/video254408988/Schloss-Bellevue-Bundespraesident-Steinmeier-ueberreicht-Christian-Lindner-die-Entlassungsurkunde.html
  39. BBC News
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7v3r046pzzo
  40. www.bundeswahlleiterin.de
    https://www.bundeswahlleiterin.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2025/ergebnisse/bund-99.html
  41. Bloomberg News
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-23/germany-s-former-finance-minister-lindner-ends-political-career
  42. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170228141219/http://www.ebrd.com/shareholders-and-board-of-governors.html
  43. European Investment Bank
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180616103358/http://www.eib.org/about/governance-and-structure/statutory-bodies/board_of_governors/index.htm
  44. European Stability Mechanism
    https://web.archive.org/web/20220105082622/https://www.esm.europa.eu/profile/christian-lindner
  45. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
    https://web.archive.org/web/20171029173748/https://www.aiib.org/en/about-aiib/governance/board-governors/index.html
  46. International Monetary Fund
    https://web.archive.org/web/20111111021542/http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/memdir/members.aspx
  47. Hannah Steinharter (8 October 2025), Wechsel zu Abriss-Unternehmen: Neue Jobs für Christian Lindner und Rolf Buch Manage
    https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/christian-lindner-und-rolf-buch-wechseln-zu-abrissunternehmen-hagedorn-a-c38d04f3-a7f8-4511-846b-98ccf55e4bee
  48. KfW
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211019094835/https://www.kfw.de/About-KfW/Arbeitsweise-und-Unternehmensf%C3%BChrung/Verwaltungsrat-und-seine-Aussch%C3%BCsse/
  49. RAG-Stiftung
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170820173606/http://www.rag-stiftung.de/en/about-us/board-of-trustees/
  50. Neue Westfälische
    https://www.nw.de/nachrichten/zwischen_weser_und_rhein/22310442_Im-Glanz-des-Fussballerfolgs.html
  51. www.aktive-buergerschaft.de
    https://web.archive.org/web/20160305023033/http://www.aktive-buergerschaft.de/aktive_buergerschaft/stiftungsrat/lindner
  52. www.freiheit.org
    https://web.archive.org/web/20111120220403/http://www.freiheit.org/The-Board-of-Trustees/867c11142i780/index.html
  53. Tagesspiegel
    https://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/medien/alte-besetzung-zdf-fernsehrat-beschneidet-politikerzahl-nicht/9905338.html
  54. Deutsche AIDS-Stiftung
    https://web.archive.org/web/20181213115653/https://aids-stiftung.de/infos-%C3%BCber-die-stiftung/die-stiftung/gremien/kuratorium
  55. Walther Rathenau Institute
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180818013739/http://www.rathenau-stiftung.de/organisation/
  56. NRW Foundation
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210419133736/http://www.nrw-stiftung.de/foerderverein/gremien-kuratorium.php?sid=69a03dda8d7107cac89f18a8da19cfb7?sid=11a71a6298eb96ea978cca0201f13ae3
  57. Reuters
    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-calls-new-talks-transatlantic-trade-deal-handelsblatt-2022-03-20/
  58. The Wall Street Journal
    https://www.wsj.com/articles/video-rant-buoys-german-pro-business-party-1422972567
  59. www.youtube.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150201184210/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skvOKFbtr3E&gl=US&hl=en
  60. Reuters
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-fdp/fdp-leader-wants-tougher-euro-zone-policy-no-new-german-debt-idUSKBN1CB12R
  61. stern.de
    https://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/christian-lindner-appelliert-an-landwirte---bitte-kehren-sie-um--34342792.html
  62. Die Zeit
    https://archive.today/20230420225925/https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2021-10/christian-lindner-finance-minister-traffic-light-coalition-koalition-critics-englisch/komplettansicht
  63. FOCUS Online
    https://www.focus.de/panorama/vermischtes/christian-lindner-fdp-generalsekretaer-heiratet-dagmar-rosenfeld_aid_655556.html
  64. Berliner Zeitung
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180419192603/https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/panorama/fdp-chef-wieder-single-so-koennte-christian-lindners-datingprofil-aussehen-30042946
  65. Politico
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  66. MSN.com
    https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/german-finance-minister-gets-married-at-exclusive-island-of-sylt/ar-AAZkl6g
  67. https://www.focus.de/kultur/stars/erstes-foto-geteilt-christian-lindners-und-franca-lehfeldts-baby-ist-da_84a8f3c1-43b3-
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