Changes

The '''Christian Democratic Union of Germany''' (Christlich-Demokratische Union Deutschlands, '''CDU''') is a political party in [[Germany]]. It is a middle-conservative party, and in 2009-2013 shared power in a coalition with the liberal libertarian [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP).  [[File:Merkel.jpg|thumb|290px| Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] leads the party]] The CDU is always in partnership with the '''[[Christian Social Union of Bavaria|Christian Social Union]]''', its more conservative sister party in [[Bavaria]]. When adding the mandates of both the CDU and CSU, who caucus together at the national level, they form the largest parliamentary group at the national level. Both parties are also in control of a majority of governments at the state level, with 11 out of 16 heads of state governments hailing from one of them.  

The '''Christian Democratic Union of Germany''' (Christlich-Demokratische Union Deutschlands, '''CDU''') is a political party in [[Germany]]. It is a middle-conservative party, and in 2009-2013 shared power in a coalition with the liberal libertarian [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP).  [[File:Merkel.jpg|thumb|290px| Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] leads the party]] The CDU is always in partnership with the '''[[Christian Social Union of Bavaria|Christian Social Union]]''', its more conservative sister party in [[Bavaria]]. When adding the mandates of both the CDU and CSU, who caucus together at the national level, they form the largest parliamentary group at the national level. Both parties are also in control of a majority of governments at the state level, with 11 out of 16 heads of state governments hailing from one of them.  

In 2013 the CDU won again the majority with 41.5 percent, but its ally the [[Free Democratic Party]] left the parliament, because they had not enough votes.<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/merkel-triumphs-german-vote-allies-crushed</ref> The Christian Democratic Union will create a coalition withe the left-center [[SPD]], who got 25.7 percent of the vote.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/17/merkel-and-center-left-rivals-agree-to-recommend-entering-formal-talks-on-new/</ref>

In 2013 the CDU won again the majority with 41.5 percent, but its ally the [[Free Democratic Party]] left the parliament, because they had not enough votes.<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/merkel-triumphs-german-vote-allies-crushed</ref> The Christian Democratic Union will create a coalition withe the left-center [[SPD]], who got 25.7 percent of the vote.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/17/merkel-and-center-left-rivals-agree-to-recommend-entering-formal-talks-on-new/</ref>

It should be noted that under Merkel's leadership, the party has moved more to the political center in recent years. Voters in Germany haven't approved of this new course: although the CDU managed to emerge as the strongest party in both the 2005 and 2009 elections, winning Merkel the chancellorship, their share of the vote was only 35,2% and 33,8%<ref>http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/ Official results of the 2005 and 2009 federal elections (in German) </ref>, respectively. When running more to the right, as has happened under the leadership of Bavarians Franz Josef Strauss in 1980 or Edmund Stoiber in 2002, the party performed much stronger: in 1980, Strauss almost managed to win an absolute majority; in 2002, Stoiber obtained the best results the CDU has enjoyed in the current five-party-environment. Both candidates only missed the chancellorship because the left-wing social democrats could assemble majority coalitions with smaller centrist parties.

It should be noted that under Merkel's leadership, the party has moved more to the political center in recent years. Voters in Germany haven't approved of this new course: although the CDU managed to emerge as the strongest party in both the 2005 and 2009 elections, winning Merkel the chancellorship, their share of the vote was only 35,2% and 33,8%<ref>http://www.bundeswahlleiter.de/de/bundestagswahlen/ Official results of the 2005 and 2009 federal elections (in German) </ref>, respectively. When running more to the right, as has happened under the leadership of Bavarians Franz Josef Strauss in 1980 or Edmund Stoiber in 2002, the party performed much stronger: in 1980, Strauss almost managed to win an absolute majority; in 2002, Stoiber obtained the best results the CDU has enjoyed in the current five-party-environment. Both candidates only missed the chancellorship because the left-wing social democrats could assemble majority coalitions with smaller centrist parties.

From 2009 to 2013 the CDU had a coalition with the Liberal Libertarian [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP). 2013 the FDP left the parliament, so the CDU need another coalition partner.<ref>http://news.msn.com/world/merkels-party-wins-german-election-but-allies-crushed</ref>

The September 2009 elections were a major win for the conservative forces led by CDU Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], breaking a stalemate and opening the way for more conservative economic policies. Previously since an indecisive election in 2005 the Christian Democrats (CDU) (on the center-right) formed a "grand coalition" with the [[SPD|Social Democrats]] (SPD) (on the center-left). Merkel and her CDU formed a coalition with the libertarian, pro-business [[Free Democratic Party|Free Democrats]] (FDP) to 2013. Left in the cold was the SPD, the [[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]], and the ex-Communists who remain strong in the former East Germany under the name "[[The Left]]". Merkel moved forward on tax cuts, reform of the tax code, reduction of bureaucracy and a possible extension of the time that nuclear power plants can continue to operate.

[[File:Germ-vote-2009.jpg|300px|thumb|Exit polls from Sept. 2009 election won by the conservative coalition CDU and FDP]]

 

In 2013 the [[Free Democratic Party]] (FDP) left the parliament.<ref>http://news.msn.com/world/merkels-party-wins-german-election-but-allies-crushed</ref> So the CDU will create a "grand coalition" with the [[SPD]] again.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/17/merkel-and-center-left-rivals-agree-to-recommend-entering-formal-talks-on-new/</ref>

==Party Structure==

==Party Structure==