Angela Merkel : Ask Biography

Personal data

Date of birth

17 July 1954(age 62)

Place of birth

Hamburg, West Germany

Political party

Christian Democratic Union (1990 � present)

Other party

Democratic Awakening (1989 � 1990)

Spouse

Ulrich Merkel (1977 � 1982)
Joachim Sauer (1998 � present)

Alma mater

University of Leipzig

Profession

Physical chemist

Religion

Christian (Protestantism)

Chancellor of Germany

Assumed office

22 November 2005

President

Horst Köhler
Christian Wulff

Deputy

Franz Müntefering
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Guido Westerwelle
Philipp Rösler

Preceded by

Gerhard Schröder

Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

In office

17 November 1994 - 26 October 1998

Chancellor

Helmut Kohl

Succeeded by

Jürgen Trittin

Preceded by

Klaus Töpfer

Minister for Women and Youth

In office

18 January 1991 - 17 November 1994

Chancellor

Helmut Kohl

Succeeded by

Claudia Nolte

Preceded by

Ursula Lehr

Member of the Bundestag

Assumed office

2 December 1990

Constituency

Stralsund � Nordvorpommern � Rügen

Preceded by

New constituency

Home | Office Holder | Angela Merkel

Angela Dorothea Merkel (-deaŋˈɡeːla doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛʁkl̩langDe-Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany (since 22 November 2005). Merkel, elected to the Bundestag (German Parliament) from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU (Christian Social Union) parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.

From 2005 to 2009 she led a grand coalition with the Christian Social Union (CSU), its Bavarian sister party, and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), formed after the 2005 federal election on 22 November 2005. In the elections of 27 September 2009, her party, the CDU, obtained the largest share of the votes, and formed a coalition government with the CSU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). Her government was sworn in on 28 October 2009.

In 2007, Merkel was also President of the European Council and chaired the G8. She played a central role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Lisbon and the Berlin Declaration. In domestic policy, health care reform and problems concerning future energy development have thus far been major issues of her tenure.

Merkel is the first female Chancellor of Germany. In 2007, she became the second woman to chair the G8, after Margaret Thatcher.