Leader of the Christian Democratic Union

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. The Leader of the Christian Democratic Union Party is supported by a General Secretary who, since 12 July 2023, has been Carsten Linnemann.

Infobox

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

Tables

· List of leaders of the Christian Democratic Union (1946–present)

Elections

Col 1

Term

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Elections

Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) North Rhine-Westphalia

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) North Rhine-Westphalia

Leadership

1 March 1946 – 23 March 1966

Leadership

20 years, 22 days

Leadership

1949 1953 1957 1961

Chancellor

Konrad Adenauer (1949-63)

Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977) Baden-Württemberg

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977) Baden-Württemberg

Leadership

23 March 1966 – 23 May 1967

Leadership

1 year, 61 days

Leadership

1965

Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1904–1988) Baden-Württemberg

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1904–1988) Baden-Württemberg

Leadership

23 May 1967 – 5 October 1971

Leadership

4 years, 135 days

Leadership

1969

Rainer Barzel (1924–2006) North Rhine-Westphalia

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Rainer Barzel (1924–2006) North Rhine-Westphalia

Leadership

5 October 1971 – 12 June 1973

Leadership

1 year, 250 days

Leadership

1972

Helmut Kohl (1930–2017) Rhineland-Palatinate

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Helmut Kohl (1930–2017) Rhineland-Palatinate

Leadership

12 June 1973 – 7 November 1998

Leadership

25 years, 148 days

Leadership

1976 1980

Helmut Kohl (1982-98)

Col 1

1983 1987 1990 1994

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Helmut Kohl (1982-98)

Wolfgang Schäuble (1942–2023) Baden-Württemberg

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Wolfgang Schäuble (1942–2023) Baden-Württemberg

Leadership

7 November 1998 – 16 February 2000

Leadership

1 year, 101 days

Leadership

1998

Chancellor

Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005)|

Angela Merkel (born 1954) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Angela Merkel (born 1954) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Leadership

10 April 2000 – 7 December 2018

Leadership

18 years, 241 days

Leadership

2002

Angela Merkel (2005-21)|

Col 1

2005 2009 2013 2017

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Angela Merkel (2005-21)|

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (born 1962) Saarland

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (born 1962) Saarland

Leadership

7 December 2018 – 22 January 2021

Leadership

2 years, 46 days

Armin Laschet (born 1961) North Rhine-Westphalia

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Armin Laschet (born 1961) North Rhine-Westphalia

Leadership

22 January 2021 – 31 January 2022

Leadership

1 year, 9 days

Leadership

2021

Friedrich Merz (born 1955) North Rhine-Westphalia

Col 1

Name (Born–Died) Home State

Friedrich Merz (born 1955) North Rhine-Westphalia

Leadership

since 31 January 2022

Leadership

4 years, 113 days

Leadership

2025

	Portrait	Name (Born–Died) Home State	Leadership			Chancellor
			Term	Tenure	Elections
1		Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) North Rhine-Westphalia	1 March 1946 – 23 March 1966	20 years, 22 days	1949 1953 1957 1961		Konrad Adenauer (1949-63)
							Ludwig Erhard (1963-66)
2		Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977) Baden-Württemberg	23 March 1966 – 23 May 1967	1 year, 61 days	1965
							Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1966-69)
3		Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1904–1988) Baden-Württemberg	23 May 1967 – 5 October 1971	4 years, 135 days	1969
							Willy Brandt (1969-74)
4		Rainer Barzel (1924–2006) North Rhine-Westphalia	5 October 1971 – 12 June 1973	1 year, 250 days	1972
5		Helmut Kohl (1930–2017) Rhineland-Palatinate	12 June 1973 – 7 November 1998	25 years, 148 days	1976 1980
							Helmut Schmidt (1974-82)
					1983 1987 1990 1994		Helmut Kohl (1982-98)
6		Wolfgang Schäuble (1942–2023) Baden-Württemberg	7 November 1998 – 16 February 2000	1 year, 101 days	1998		Gerhard Schröder (1998-2005)\|
7		Angela Merkel (born 1954) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	10 April 2000 – 7 December 2018	18 years, 241 days	2002
					2005 2009 2013 2017		Angela Merkel (2005-21)\|
8		Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (born 1962) Saarland	7 December 2018 – 22 January 2021	2 years, 46 days
9		Armin Laschet (born 1961) North Rhine-Westphalia	22 January 2021 – 31 January 2022	1 year, 9 days	2021
							Olaf Scholz (2021-25)\|
10		Friedrich Merz (born 1955) North Rhine-Westphalia	since 31 January 2022	4 years, 113 days	2025
							Friedrich Merz (since 2025)

References

There is uncertainty over the question whether Erhard was ever actually a member of the CDU. Reports at the time suggest
Kohl opted not to seek the nomination as chancellor candidate due to internal criticism, instead nominated Lower Saxony
After being outmaneuvered, Merkel yield the nomination as the Union's Chancellor candidate to Bavaria premier and CSU le
The Economist
https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/01/22/friedrich-merz-takes-over-as-leader-of-germanys-christian-democrats
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands
https://www.cdu.de/
Die Welt
https://www.welt.de/politik/article834316/Der-Kanzler-der-nie-Mitglied-seiner-Partei-war.html