Topzle Updated: Wikipedia source
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.
| 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 | HimselfLudwig Erhard |
| 2 | | Ludwig Erhard(1897–1977) | 23 March 1966 | 23 May 1967 | 1 year, 61 days | Baden-Württemberg | HimselfKurt Georg Kiesinger |
| 3 | | Kurt Georg Kiesinger(1904–1988) | 23 May 1967 | 5 October 1971 | 4 years, 135 days | Baden-Württemberg | HimselfWilly Brandt |
| 4 | | Rainer Barzel(1924–2006) | 5 October 1971 | 12 June 1973 | 1 year, 250 days | North Rhine-Westphalia | Willy Brandt |
| 5 | | Helmut Kohl(1930–2017) | 12 June 1973 | 7 November 1998 | 25 years, 148 days | Rhineland-Palatinate | Willy BrandtHelmut SchmidtHimself |
| 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 SchröderHerself |
| 8 | | Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer(born 1962) | 7 December 2018 | 22 January 2021 | 2 years, 46 days | Saarland | Angela Merkel |
| 9 | | Armin Laschet(born 1961) | 22 January 2021 | 31 January 2022 | 1 year, 9 days | North Rhine-Westphalia | Angela MerkelOlaf Scholz |
| 10 | | Friedrich Merz(born 1955) | 31 January 2022 | Incumbent | 3 years, 314 days | North Rhine-Westphalia | Olaf Scholz Himself |