Guido Westerwelle is Federal Foreign Minister within the CDU/CSU/FDP coalition government. He holds a doctorate in law and was Federal Chairman of the FDP from 2001 to May 2011, and Chairman of the FDP parliamentary group in the German Bundestag from May 2006 to October 2009. He was born in Bad Honnef in 1961.

CV

Born on 27 December 1961 in Bad Honnef

1980
Abitur (higher education entrance qualification), studied law in Bonn
Passed first and second state examinations in law
Conferred a doctorate in law

1980
Joined the FDP

1983 - 1988
Federal Chairman of the Young Liberals

since 1991
Lawyer in Bonn

1993 - 2000
District Chairman of the FDP in Bonn

1994 - 2001
General Secretary of the FDP 

since May 2001
Federal Chairman of the FDP 

2006 - 2009
Chairman of the FDP parliamentary group in the German Bundestag

Chairman of the Programme Commission, which drew up the Wiesbaden Principles –
the new programme of the FDP

Member of the board of Atlantik-Brücke e.V. a non-party-political association which aims to strengthen relations with the USA

Member of the board of governors of the German AIDS Foundation (Deutsche Aids-Stiftung)

Honorary doctorate from Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

Awarded the European Skilled Crafts Award 2006

Author of numerous legal and political publications, including the book “Neuland”

since October 2009
Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

Photos small and large: REGIERUNGonline/Chaperon

Berlin office
Werderscher Markt 1
10117 Berlin
Postal Address: 11013 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0) 3018 17-0
Fax: +49 (0) 3018 17-3402

Bonn office
Adenauerallee 99-103
53113 Bonn
P.O. Box 1148 53001 Bonn
Phone: +49 (0) 22899 17-0
Fax: +49 (0) 22899 17-3402

Website of the Federal Foreign Office