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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 with 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>

==History==

==History==

Leading figures in the post-war era were [[Konrad Adenauer]] and [[Ludwig Erhard]]. Adenauer  became the first Chancellor in West Germany, and who was seeking firm military and economic integration of West Germany with western Europe and the US. Ludwig Erhard was the first Minister of Economy, renowned for his advocacy and implementation of [[social market economy]], and is considered the father of the German [[Wirtschaftswunder]], the economic boom in the 50s and 60s. These two political concepts, social market economy and integration in the West, have become the two main ideological pillars of the Christian Democratic Union.

Leading figures in the post-war era were [[Konrad Adenauer]] and [[Ludwig Erhard]]. Adenauer  became the first Chancellor in West Germany, and who was seeking firm military and economic integration of West Germany with western Europe and the US. Ludwig Erhard was the first Minister of Economy, renowned for his advocacy and implementation of [[social market economy]], and is considered the father of the German [[Wirtschaftswunder]], the economic boom in the 50s and 60s. These two political concepts, social market economy and integration in the West, have become the two main ideological pillars of the Christian Democratic Union.

In the [[German Democratic Republic]] the CDUD (Christlich-Demokratische Union Deutschlands engl: Christian Democratic Union of Germany) should subordinate the [[Socialist Unity Party]]. Only in the first free elections of 1990 the CDUD merged a election alliance called "Alliance for Germany" and could won the election. On October 1 and 2 of 1990 the CDUD merged with the CDU to one party.<ref>http://www.cdu.de/artikel/geschichte</ref>

In the [[German Democratic Republic]] the CDUD (Christlich-Demokratische Union Deutschlands engl: Christian Democratic Union of Germany) should subordinate the [[Socialist Unity Party]]. Only in the first free elections of 1990 the CDUD merged an election alliance called "Alliance for Germany" and could won the election. On October 1 and 2 of 1990 the CDUD merged with the CDU to one party.<ref>http://www.cdu.de/artikel/geschichte</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.

==Party Structure==

==Party Structure==

===Regional Party Groups===

===Regional Party Groups===

The party has regional party groups, the federal group (''Bundesverband'', there is only one), the state group(s) (''Landesverbände'', singular: ''Landesverband''), the county group(s) (''Kreisverbände'', singular: ''Kreisverband'') and the local group(s) (''Ortsverbände'', singular: ''Ortsverband''). All local groups in a county (''Kreis'' or ''Landkreis'') are part of the county group, all county groups in a german (federal) state (''Land'' or ''Bundesland'') are part of the state group and all state groups form the federal group.  

The party has regional party groups, the federal group (''Bundesverband'', there is only one), the state group(s) (''Landesverbände'', singular: ''Landesverband''), the county group(s) (''Kreisverbände'', singular: ''Kreisverband'') and the local group(s) (''Ortsverbände'', singular: ''Ortsverband''). All local groups in a county (''Kreis'' or ''Landkreis'') are part of the county group, all county groups in a German (federal) state (''Land'' or ''Bundesland'') are part of the state group and all state groups form the federal group.  

===Federal Leadership===

===Federal Leadership===

==Positions==

==Positions==

The CDU is comparable with the [[Republican Party]]. It supports a social market economy, is against equality of homosexual pairs with traditional families and supports the [[USA]] and [[Israel]]. But it is has also liberal views. For example it opposes the death penalty, which is outlawed by the current German constitution.<ref>http://www.cducsu.de/Titel__todesstrafe_weltweit_aechten_und_abschaffen/TabID__6/SubTabID__7/InhaltTypID__1/InhaltID__16775/inhalte.aspx</ref>

The CDU is comparable with the [[Republican Party]]. It supports a social market economy, is against equality of homosexual pairs with traditional families and supports the [[USA]] and [[Israel]]. But it is has also liberal views. For example, it opposes the death penalty, which is outlawed by the current German constitution.<ref>http://www.cducsu.de/Titel__todesstrafe_weltweit_aechten_und_abschaffen/TabID__6/SubTabID__7/InhaltTypID__1/InhaltID__16775/inhalte.aspx</ref>

==Famous Party Members==

==Famous Party Members==