Wolfgang Gerhardt | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Gerhardt in 2016 | |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 22 November 2005 – 1 May 2006 | |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Angela Merkel |
| Succeeded by | Guido Westerwelle |
| Leader of theFree Democratic Party in theBundestag | |
| In office 5 October 1998 – 1 May 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Hermann Otto Solms |
| Succeeded by | Guido Westerwelle |
| Leader of theFree Democratic Party | |
| In office 10 June 1995 – 4 May 2001 | |
| Deputy | Cornielia Schmatz-Jacobsen Jürgen Bohn Rainer Brüderle Cornelia Pieper Walter Döring |
| Preceded by | Klaus Kinkel |
| Succeeded by | Guido Westerwelle |
| Deputy Leader of theFree Democratic Party | |
| In office 23 February 1985 – 10 June 1995 | |
| Leader | Martin Bangemann Otto Graf Lambsdorff Klaus Kinkel |
| Preceded by | Jürgen Morlok |
| Succeeded by | Rainer Brüderle |
| Deputy Minister President of Hesse | |
| In office 24 April 1987 – 5 April 1991 | |
| Minister President | Walter Wallmann |
| Preceded by | Hans Krollmann |
| Succeeded by | Joschka Fischer |
| Representative of Hesse to the Federation | |
| In office 24 April 1987 – 5 April 1991 | |
| Minister President | Walter Wallmann |
| Preceded by | Willi Görlach |
| Succeeded by | Ulrike Rieder |
| Hessian Minister of Science and Art | |
| In office 24 April 1987 – 5 April 1991 | |
| Minister President | Walter Wallmann |
| Preceded by | Vera Rüdiger |
| Succeeded by | Evelies Mayer |
| Member of theBundestag forHesse | |
| In office 16 October 1994 – 22 September 2013 | |
| Constituency | Free Democratic List |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1943-12-31)31 December 1943 |
| Died | 13 September 2024(2024-09-13) (aged 80) Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany |
| Political party |  German:Free Democratic Party  EU:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
| Alma mater | Marburg University (Dr. phil.) |
Wolfgang Gerhardt (31 December 1943 – 13 September 2024) was a German politician and the leader of theFree Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) from 1995 until he was succeeded byGuido Westerwelle in 2001.[1]
Gerhardt was born inUlrichstein, Hesse.[2] He studiedpedagogics, political science and German studies and completed his doctorate 1970 inMarburg.[3] He was a member of theLandtag of Hesse from 1978 until 1994.[2] Between 1987 and 1991, he served as State Minister for Science and Culture and Deputy Minister-President in the state government of Minister-PresidentWalter Wallmann of Hesse.[4][5] In this capacity, he was one of the state's representatives on theBundesrat.[6]
Gerhardt was member of theDeutscher Bundestag from 1994 to 2013.[1] Gerhardt served as chair of theFree Democratic Party from 1995 to 2001 and also chaired its grouping in theBundestag from 1998 to 2006.[7]
From 2002 until 2012, Gerhardt was Vice President ofLiberal International (LI), under the leadership of successive presidentsAnnemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck (2002–2005),John Alderdice (2005–2009), andHans van Baalen (2009–2011).[3]
Ahead of the2005 national elections, Gerhard was billed as a possible foreign minister in a new centre-right coalition with the Christian Democrats;[8] instead, newly electedChancellorAngela Merkel entered a coalition with theSocial Democratic Party.[9] From 2006 to 2018, Gerhardt served as chairman of the board of theFriedrich Naumann Foundation.[1][2]
Gerhardt campaigned for a free pluralistic society and advocated for personal responsibility and independent judgment.[2][10] He was concerned about fair educational opportunities.[11]
For some of his opponents, Gerhardt was too calm.[12] 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 byGuido Westerwelle.[12]
Source:[1]
Gerhardt was married and had two children.[1] He died inWiesbaden, Hesse, on 13 September 2024, at the age of 80.[2]
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