Leader of the Christian Democratic Union
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Short description|Most senior politician of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Leader
| body = the Christian Democratic Union
| native_name = Vorsitzender der Christlich Demokratischen Union
| flag =
| flagsize =
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| flagcaption =
| insignia = CDU Logo 2023.svg
| insigniasize =
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| image = Friedrich Merz 2024.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| incumbent = Friedrich Merz
| incumbentsince = 31 January 2022
| type = 1029
| status =
| department =
| style =
| abbreviation =
| member_of = Federal Executive Presidium
| reports_to =
| residence =
| seat = Konrad-Adenauer-Haus
| nominator =
| appointer =
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength =
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =
| precursor =
| formation = 1 March 1946
| first = Konrad Adenauer
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
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| 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.{{Cite news|date=2022-01-22|title=Friedrich Merz takes over as leader of Germany’s Christian Democrats|work=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/01/22/friedrich-merz-takes-over-as-leader-of-germanys-christian-democrats|access-date=2022-01-22|issn=0013-0613}}
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:{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdu.de/|title=Startseite|website=Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands|language=de|access-date=24 April 2018}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%; border:1px #AAAAFF solid" |
| width=80px rowspan=2 colspan=2|Portrait
!width=30% rowspan=2|Name !width=35% colspan=3|Term of office !width=28% rowspan=2|State !width=28% rowspan=2|Chancellor |
|---|
| Took office
!Left office !Days |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 1
| 85px | Konrad Adenauer | 1 March 1946 | 23 March 1966 | {{ayd|1946|03|01|1966|03|23}} | {{flag|North Rhine-Westphalia}} | Himself |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 2
| 85px | Ludwig Erhard | 23 March 1966 | 23 May 1967 | {{ayd|1966|03|23|1967|05|23}} | {{flag|Baden-Württemberg}} | Himself |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 3
| 85px | Kurt Georg Kiesinger | 23 May 1967 | 5 October 1971 | {{ayd|1967|05|23|1971|10|05}} | {{flag|Baden-Württemberg}} | Himself |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 4
| 85px | Rainer Barzel | 5 October 1971 | 12 June 1973 | {{ayd|1971|10|05|1973|06|12}} | {{flag|North Rhine-Westphalia}} |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 5
| Helmut Kohl | 12 June 1973 | 7 November 1998 | {{ayd|1973|06|12|1998|11|07}} | {{flag|Rhineland-Palatinate}} | Willy Brandt |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 6
| 85px |Wolfgang Schäuble | 7 November 1998 | 16 February 2000 | {{ayd|1998|11|07|2000|02|16}} | {{flag|Baden-Württemberg}} |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 7
| 85px | Angela Merkel | 10 April 2000 | 7 December 2018 | {{ayd|2000|04|10|2018|12|07}} | {{flag|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}} | Gerhard Schröder |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 8
| 85px | Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer | 7 December 2018 | 22 January 2021 | {{ayd|2018|12|07|2021|01|22}} | {{flag|Saarland}} |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 9
| 85px | Armin Laschet | 22 January 2021 | 31 January 2022 | {{ayd|2021|01|22|2022|01|31}} | {{flag|North Rhine-Westphalia}} |
| style="background:{{party color|CDU}}; color:white;" | 10
| 85px | Friedrich Merz | 31 January 2022 | Incumbent | {{ayd|2022|01|31}} | {{flag|North Rhine-Westphalia}} |
Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|ImageSize=width:1150 height:auto barincrement:14
PlotArea = top:10 bottom:30 right:130 left:20
AlignBars = late
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1945 till:31/12/{{#time:Y|+1 year}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:01/01/1945
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1945
Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y|+1 hours}}
Colors =
id:Leader value:rgb(0,0,0)
BarData =
bar:Adenauer
bar:Erhard
bar:Kiesinger
bar:Barzel
bar:Kohl
bar:Schauble
bar:Merkel
bar:AKK
bar:Laschet
bar:Merz
PlotData=
width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
bar:Adenauer
from: 01/03/1946 till: 23/03/1966 color:Leader text:Konrad Adenauer
bar:Erhard
from: 23/03/1966 till: 23/05/1967 color:Leader text:Ludwig Erhard"
bar:Kiesinger
from: 23/05/1967 till: 05/10/1971 color:Leader text:Kurt Georg Kiesinger
bar:Barzel
from: 05/10/1971 till: 12/06/1973 color:Leader text:Rainer Barzel
bar:Kohl
from: 12/06/1973 till: 07/11/1998 color:Leader text:Helmut Kohl
bar:Schauble
from: 07/11/1998 till: 16/02/2000 color:Leader text:Wolfgang Schäuble
bar:Merkel
from: 16/02/2000 till: 07/12/2018 color:Leader text:Angela Merkel
bar:AKK
from: 07/12/2018 till: 22/01/2021 color:Leader text:Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer"
bar:Laschet
from: 22/01/2021 till: 31/01/2022 color:Leader text:Armin Laschet
bar:Merz
from: 31/01/2022 till: $today color:Leader text:Friedrich Merz
}}
See also
Notes
{{Notelist}}