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| CDU/CSU (faction) | |
|---|---|
| Name | CDU/CSU (faction) |
| Color | #000000 |
| Seats1 title | Bundestag |
CDU/CSU (faction) is the joint parliamentary group formed by the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union in the German federal legislature, composed of deputies from the Christian Democratic Union (Germany), the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, and allied parliamentary staff and committees. The group acts as a unified bloc in the Bundestag while reflecting the institutional ties between the two parties, coordinating policy between state and federal actors such as the Federal Chancellor of Germany, state premiers like the Minister-President of Bavaria, and parliamentary committees including the Budget Committee (Bundestag) and Foreign Affairs Committee (Bundestag).
The faction comprises members elected under the banners of the Christian Democratic Union (Germany) and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, including representatives from electoral districts such as Berlin Mitte, Munich North, and Frankfurt am Main I, and high-profile deputies formerly associated with ministries like the Federal Ministry of Finance (Germany), the Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany), and the Federal Foreign Office (Germany). Its parliamentary caucus interacts with European partners including the European People’s Party and national counterparts such as the Free Democratic Party (Germany), the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and the Greens (Germany), while coordinating with regional party structures like the CDU Bavaria (regional) and the CSU Bavaria apparatus. The faction’s composition reflects electoral results from federal elections including the German federal election, 2017, the German federal election, 2021, and local Landesparlamente outcomes.
The parliamentary collaboration dates to post-war arrangements involving leaders such as Konrad Adenauer, Theodor Heuss, and Franz Josef Strauss, emerging from negotiations during the formation of the Federal Republic of Germany and constitutional debates around the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany. The CDU/CSU caucus influenced major policy milestones like the Wirtschaftswunder era, the Ostpolitik era associated with Willy Brandt, and reunification under figures such as Helmut Kohl and events like the German reunification process and the Two Plus Four Agreement. Internal adaptation occurred across crises including the Oil crisis of 1973, the European Monetary System debates, and responses to decisions by judicial bodies like the Federal Constitutional Court (Germany). Leadership transitions from Helmut Kohl to Angela Merkel reshaped faction strategy during episodes such as the Eurozone crisis and the European migrant crisis.
The faction advances positions on fiscal policy championed by figures like Wolfgang Schäuble, on social market principles traced to Ludwig Erhard, and on transatlantic and European security seen in stances by Horst Seehofer and Ursula von der Leyen. It promotes priorities in areas such as taxation debated in the Bundestag Budget Committee, defence policy discussed in the Defence Committee (Bundestag), and foreign policy articulated in collaboration with delegations to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament. Policy platforms have addressed energy transitions influenced by events like the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, industrial policy linked to firms such as Volkswagen and Siemens, and regulatory approaches intersecting with rulings by the European Court of Justice.
The faction is organized around a parliamentary leader elected by caucus members, deputy chairs, and spokespersons for committees including the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundestag), the Committee on Internal Affairs and Community (Bundestag), and the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid (Bundestag). Prominent officeholders have included parliamentary leaders who worked with chancellors like Angela Merkel and ministers such as Peter Altmaier, coordinating with state party chairs in regions like North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria. Internal governance intersects with party organs such as the CDU Federal Executive Board and the CSU Executive Committee, and with finance and research bodies like the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
As a major faction the group plays a central role in forming governing coalitions with parties like the Free Democratic Party (Germany), the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and, in grand coalitions, negotiating portfolios for ministries including the Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany), and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Germany). It shapes legislative agendas in plenary sessions presided by the President of the Bundestag, manages procedural strategy in votes of confidence related to the Chancellor of Germany, and engages in oversight through inquiries and interpellations involving institutions like the Bundesrechnungshof.
Electoral performance has varied across federal elections such as the German federal election, 2005, the German federal election, 2013, and the German federal election, 2017, with voter bases concentrated in regions including Bavaria, parts of Hesse, and rural constituencies in Saxony-Anhalt, while urban districts like Hamburg-Eimsbüttel and Cologne I show divergent support patterns. Demographic appeals have ranged among constituencies tied to religious institutions like the Catholic Church in Germany and the Evangelical Church in Germany, business associations such as the Confederation of German Employers' Associations, and civil society networks including trade associations and veterans' groups.
The faction has faced controversies involving debates over leadership succession during periods with figures like Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Friedrich Merz, policy disputes over immigration amid the European migrant crisis, and internal scandals tied to campaign financing matters that triggered scrutiny from agencies such as the Federal Court of Auditors (Germany). Disputes have also emerged between regional factions represented by politicians like Markus Söder and national leaders, with parliamentary rebellions occurring on votes concerning measures tied to the European Union and security legislation reviewed by the Federal Constitutional Court (Germany).
Category:Political groups in the Bundestag