The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the Christian-Social Union (CSU) together form the traditionally strongest party in Germany, known as the “Union.” Established in 1945, the CDU and CSU have a combined membership of over 489,000 members (as of 2024) and hold 196 out of 733 seats in the Bundestag.
Notable historic figures from the CDU/CSU include Konrad Adenauer, the first Federal Chancellor from 1949 to 1963, Ludwig Erhard, Federal Chancellor from 1963 to 1966, and Angela Merkel, the first female Federal Chancellor from 2005 to 2021.
The CDU and CSU are rooted in Catholic social doctrine and Conservativism, with a commitment to a liberal market economy. They see themselves as a “catch-all party,” representing a broad range of interests within the population. The CDU competes in all states except Bavaria, where the CSU stands alone.
In the Bundestag, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group is a dominant force, and the Union has a long history of governing Germany. Their website provides information on their policies, members, and activities.
For more insights into German politics and the influential CDU/CSU party, visit their official website at www.cdu.de.
Attribution:
This article was summarized and republished from the original source.
Please check the original article here: https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/politics/the-cducsu-parties-in-the-german-bundestag.