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This article is part of the series Politics of Germany |
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The Christian Democratic Union (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union) is a political party in Germany, founded after World War II by Konrad Adenauer among others. The CDU is a moderate Christian and also the biggest conservative, right-of-center party in Germany. It is also a member of the International Democrat Union.
In Bavaria, the CDU does not exist; its role is played by the Christian Social Union (CSU). The CDU cooperates with the CSU at the federal level; although each party maintains its own structure, the two form a common caucus in the Bundestag and do not run opposing campaigns.
The CDU/CSU has adherents among Catholics, Protestants, rural interests, and members of all economic classes. It is generally conservative on economic and social policy and more identified with the Roman Catholic and (to a lesser extent) the Protestant churches than are the other major parties, although its programs are pragmatic rather than ideological. In 1990, it merged with the East German equivalent of the same name, the Christian Democratic Union.
Helmut Kohl served as chairman of the CDU from 1973 until the party's electoral defeat in 1998, when he was succeeded by Wolfgang Schäuble ; Schäuble resigned in early 2000 as a result of a party financing scandal and was replaced by Angela Merkel. In the 1998 general election, the CDU polled 28.4% and the CSU 6.7% of the national vote. In 2002, CDU reached 29.5% and the CSU 9.0%. Opponents of the CDU are the social democratic SPD, the communist PDSOther than " Party of Democratic Socialism", this also stands for "Processor Direct Slot". It was a solution (actually, a whole number of different solutions) introduced by Apple Computer, in several of their Macintosh models, to providing a limited measu and the environmentalist Bundnis90/Die Gruenen. The liberal FDPFDP may refer to: in Germany: Freie Demokratische Partei see Free Democratic Party of Germany and Politics of Germany, in Switzerland: Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei see Freethinking Democratic Party of Switzerland and Politics of Switzerland. party is considered to be the natural partner of any CDU government. In the European elections of 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co the CDU/CSU got 44% of the popular vote. Signaling that the results in nationwide opinion polls during 20032003 is a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar), and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Summary Perhaps the defining global event of the year 2003 was the Invasion of Iraq launched by the U and 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co which put the CDU/CSU at a comfortable 48% can be realised.