Wolfgang Gerhardt
Wolfgang Gerhardt was a German politician and the leader of the Free Democratic Party of Germany from 1995 until he was succeeded by Guido Westerwelle in 2001.
Political career
Gerhardt was born in Ulrichstein, Hesse. He studied pedagogics, political science and German studies and completed his doctorate 1970 in Marburg. He was a member of the Landtag of Hesse from 1978 until 1994. Between 1987 and 1991, he served as State Minister for Science and Culture and Deputy Minister-President in the state government of Minister-President Walter Wallmann of Hesse. In this capacity, he was one of the state's representatives on the Bundesrat.Gerhardt was member of the Deutscher Bundestag from 1994 to 2013. Gerhardt served as chair of the Free Democratic Party from 1995 to 2001 and also chaired its grouping in the Bundestag from 1998 to 2006.
From 2002 until 2012, Gerhardt was Vice President of Liberal International, under the leadership of successive presidents Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, John Alderdice, and Hans van Baalen.
Ahead of the 2005 national elections, Gerhard was billed as a possible foreign minister in a new centre-right coalition with the Christian Democrats; instead, newly elected Chancellor Angela Merkel entered a coalition with the Social Democratic Party. From 2006 to 2018, Gerhardt served as chairman of the board of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
Political positions
Gerhardt campaigned for a free pluralistic society and advocated for personal responsibility and independent judgment. He was concerned about fair educational opportunities.For some of his opponents, Gerhardt was too calm. He was succeeded in his most influential positions as Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Free Democratic Party in the Bundestag and Leader of the Free Democratic Party by Guido Westerwelle.
Other activities
Source:Corporate boards
- Alte Leipziger Lebensversicherung aG, Member of the Advisory Board
- Hallesche-Nationale Krankenversicherung aG, Member of the Advisory Board
- Rücker AG, Member of the Supervisory Board
- Deutsche Vermögensberatung, Member of the Advisory Board
Non-profits
- Theodor Heuss House, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Member of the Board of Trustees
- German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Member of the Political Advisory Board
- Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Member of the Advisory Board
- German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Member of the Council
- Turkey: Culture of Change Initiative, Member of the Advisory Board