Wolfgang Schäuble

Wolfgang Schäuble (; 18 September 1942 – 26 December 2023) was a German lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). His political career has spanned more than fifty years. He was a member of the Bundestag from 1972 until his death in 2023. His fifty-one year career in the Bundestag made him the longest serving member of parliament in the country's history.

Schäuble was the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union and Leader of the Opposition from 1998 to 2000. During his career, he had several government roles such as Head of the Chancellery, Minister of the Interior and Minister of Finance in the governments of Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel. He was the President of the Bundestag from 2017 to 2021.

Early life
Schäuble was born in Freiburg im Breisgau in 1942.Quentin Peel (12 March 2010), Man in the News: Wolfgang Schäuble Financial Times. He was the son of tax finance advisor and politician Karl Schäuble and Gertrud Göhring. Schäuble studied at the University of Freiburg and the University of Hamburg, graduating in 1966 and 1970 respectively. He began a career in law at the district court of Offenburg in 1978.

In 1969, he married Ingeborg Hensle. They had four children.

Political career
His political career began in 1969 as a member of the Junge Union. Schäuble was elected to the Bundestag by winning the constituency seat of Offenburg. His ministerial career began in 1984 when he was appointed Minister for Special Affairs and Head of the German Chancellery by Chancellor Helmut Kohl. 

Schäuble was the Minister of the Interior from 1989 to 1991 during the Helmut Kohl government. He was seen as Kohl's protege. During his time as Minister of the Interior, Schäuble was one of the most popular politicians in Germany. He was regularly mentioned as a possible future Chancellor, however he was criticized by civil rights activists for his strict law and order policies.

On 12 October 1990, at the age of 48 and just after reunification, Schäuble was the target of an assassination attempt by Dieter Kaufmann, who fired three shots at him after an election campaign event in Oppenau. Kaufmann injured a bodyguard, and severely injured Schäuble's spinal cord and face. Schäuble was left paralysed from the attack and used a wheelchair ever since.

He was the leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany from 1998 to 2000 and was the Opposition Leader during this time period.

When Angela Merkel became Chancellor of Germany, he worked under her government. He was the Minister of the Interior from 2005 to 2009, having served the same role in the Helmut Kohl government. He was then the Minister of Finance from 2009 to 2017.

During his time as Finance Minister in the Merkel government, he was described as "Germany's second most powerful person" after Merkel. He took a hard line towards Southern European countries during the eurozone crisisJack Ewing (12 December 2010), Germany Signals Support for Euro-Zone Members The New York Times. such as not supporting the International Monetary Fund stance to give Greece more time to fix their deficit issues.Alan Cowell and Nicholas Kulish (12 October 2012), Nobel Committee Gives Peace Prize to European Union The New York Times. He was a supporter of austerity policies and his 2014 budget allowed Germany to take on no new debt for the first time since 1969.Paul Taylor (4 March 2013), Jolt From Italy's Elections May Not Be Enough The New York Times.Erik Kirschbaum and Michelle Martin (9 September 2014), No new debt for Germany in 2015, first time since 1969 Reuters.

When Federal President Joachim Gauck announced in June 2016 that he would not stand for reelection, Schäuble was seen by German and international media as likely replacement;Stefan Wagstyl (6 June 2016), German presidency jostling begins as Gauck prepares to quit Financial Times.Kate Connolly (6 June 2016), Headache for Angela Merkel as German president Joachim Gauck steps down The Guardian. however the job soon went to Frank-Walter Steinmeier instead.

On 27 September 2017 the CDU/CSU group in the Bundestag announced Schäuble’s nomination as President of the BundestagEmma Anderson (September 27, 2017), Schäuble to be nominated as German parliament president: report Politico Europe and assumed office on 24 October 2017. In October 2021, Schaüble left office as President of the Bundestag and was replaced by Bärbel Bas. He became the Father of the Bundestag shortly afterwards since he was the longest sitting member of the Bundestag at the time.

Illness and death
In May 2010, on his way to Brussels for an emergency meeting at the European Parliament, he was hospitalized for an allergic reaction to a new antibiotic.Quentin Peel (19 May 2010), Schäuble interview: Berlin's strictures Financial Times. At the time, Schäuble thought about resigning, however, Chancellor Angela Merkel declined his offer to step down twice during a period of bad health in 2010.Rainer Buergin and Birgit Jennen (20 September 2013), Schaeuble Seen Keeping Finance Post Even in SPD Coalition Bloomberg News.

Schäuble died of cancer at the age of 81 on 26 December 2023 in Offenburg, Baden-Württemberg.(27 December 2023), Früherer Bundestagspräsident WolfgaNr Schäuble gestorben Tagesschau

References

Other websites

 Wolfgang Schäuble: "Muslims Should Feel at Home in Germany" 


Category:1942 births
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Category:Presidents of the German Bundestag
Category:Politicians from Baden-Württemberg
Category:Politicians of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany
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Category:German crime victims
Category:Cancer deaths in Germany
Category:Finance ministers of Germany
Category:Members of the German Bundestag
Category:Writers from Baden-Württemberg
Category:Interior ministers of Germany
Category:Special Affairs ministers of Germany
Category:Heads of the German Chancellery
Category:Leaders of the Opposition (Germany)
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