CV

• Born on 11 November 1955 in Brilon

• Since 1972
  Member of the CDU

• 1975
  Abitur (university entrance qualification) at the Friedrich-Spee Gymnasium in Rüthen

• 1975 to 1976
  Military service

• 1976 to 1981
  Studied law and political sciences in Bonn and Marburg, graduating in 1982 with his first state examination in law and, after a preparatory service period at Saarbrücken Regional Court from 1982 to 1985, with his second state examination in law 

• 1985 to 1986
  Judge at Saarbrücken District Court

• Since 1986
  Lawyer

• 1986 to 1989
  Speaker at the Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V. (chemical industry association, VCI) 

• 1989 to 1994
  Member of the European Parliament

• 1994 to 2009
  Member of the Bundestag

• 1998 to 2000
  Deputy Chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag

• 2000 to 2002
  Chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag

• 2002 to 2004
  Deputy Chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag

• 2005 to 2021
  Partner, and from 2017 Senior Counsel of the international law firm Mayer Brown LLP

• 2019 to 2021
  Vice-President of the economic council of the CDU

• Since 2021   
  Member of the Bundestag 

• 2022 to 2025 
  Chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag

• Since 2022  
  Chair of the CDU in Germany

• Since 6 May 2025 
  Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany