Helmut Kohl Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 1976. Chancellor of West Germany (Prime Minister) 1982-1998. Date of Birth: 03.04.1930 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Helmut Kohl
2. Political Career
3. Chancellorship
4. Later Career

Biography of Helmut Kohl

Helmut Kohl was born in Ludwigshafen, Rhineland-Palatinate, in a Catholic family. During World War II, he was conscripted into the Wehrmacht but did not participate in combat. He studied social and political sciences at the University of Frankfurt and the University of Heidelberg.

Political Career

Kohl joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1947 and held various positions within the party structure. From 1969 to 1976, he served as the prime minister of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. In the mid-1970s, Kohl faced the challenge of returning political power to the Christian Democrats in Germany. As the leader of the opposition in the Bundestag, he managed to attract cooperation from deputies of smaller parties and formed a coalition that had a majority in parliament.

Chancellorship

In 1982, Kohl replaced Helmut Schmidt as the federal chancellor. The coalition led by the CDU maintained its leading position in the Bundestag in the 1983 and 1987 elections. As chancellor, Kohl continued the policy of European integration and strengthening NATO. He also sought closer ties with East Germany. When the communist regime in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) collapsed in late 1989, Kohl took decisive actions for the swift reunification of Germany, which occurred on October 3, 1990.

Later Career

In the parliamentary elections in December 1990, Kohl's alliance emerged victorious again. His government faced the new domestic challenge of equalizing the living standards between East and West Germany. He strongly advocated for European integration and actively contributed to the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in February 1993, which established the European Union.

Kohl sought to strengthen Germany's influence in solving global problems and secure a permanent seat for Germany in the United Nations Security Council. Thanks to his persistence, German troops participated in military operations abroad for the first time since the post-war period, such as in Bosnia in July 1994. In October 1994, Kohl won the elections again and formed the government for the next term.