Christlich Demokratische Union (West)
Political party which was founded in 1945 in all four zones of occupation at the time on a cross-confessional basis.
In the Federal Republic of Germany the CDU represented and still represents the integration into the Western alliance and the concept of the social market economy. In the Lower House of Parliament it forms a parliamentary group with the CSU. In the years 1949-69 and 1982- 1998 it was the leading government party of the Federal Republic of Germany. The CDU has party headquarters in all Federal States of the Federal Republic of Germany with the exception of Bavaria; there, the CSU has similar aims and goals. On 1/10/1989 at a joint party congress, the CDU of the GDR became a member of the sister party of the Federal Republic of Germany with the same name.
