The chancellor as manager: Helmut Kohl, the CDU and governance in Germany

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between German chancellor Helmut Kohl and his Christian Democratic Union. It first explains why his predecessors met with different degrees of success in winning support for government decisions from their own parties. An assessment of Kohl's record then confirms that attracting voters is less critical in this regard than serving as a link within the coalition and as a manager of party‐internal affirs. Kohl's own strategies for steering his coalition and running the CDU through a personal network, mediation among subgroups and contact with functionaries are presented as key aspects of his leadership.