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 a 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 Suding Michael Theurer Stephan Thomae Alexander Graf Lambsdorff Christian Dürr Frank Sitta

General Secretary

Nicola Beer Linda Teuteberg Volker Wissing Marco 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 office 24 October 2017 – 25 March 2025Preceded byMulti-member districtConstituencyFree Democratic Party listIn office 27 October 2009 – 10 July 2012Preceded byMulti-member districtSucceeded byHans-Werner EhrenbergConstituencyFree Democratic Party listMember of the Landtag of North Rhine-WestphaliaIn office 31 May 2012 – 10 October 2017Preceded byMulti-member districtSucceeded byLorenz DeutschConstituencyFree Democratic Party listIn office 1 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 Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany (current-day Germany)

Party

FDP (1995–present)

Spouses

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

Tables

· External links

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

Party political offices

Preceded byPhilipp Rösler

Party political offices

Leader of the Free Democratic Party 2013–present

Party political offices

Incumbent

Political offices

Party political offices

Political offices

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