Armin Laschet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Armin Laschet
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Laschet in 2023
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| Leader of the Christian Democratic Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 22 January 2021 – 31 January 2022 |
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| General Secretary | Paul Ziemiak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Jens Spahn Thomas Strobl Volker Bouffier Julia Klöckner Silvia Breher |
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| Preceded by | Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Friedrich Merz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 27 June 2017 – 26 October 2021 |
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| Deputy | Joachim Stamp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Hannelore Kraft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Hendrik Wüst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 February 1961 Aachen, West Germany |
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| Political party | Christian Democratic Union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses |
Susanne Malangré
(m. 1985) |
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| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Burtscheid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Munich University of Bonn |
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| Signature |  |
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| Website |
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Armin Laschet (born 18 February 1961) is a German politician. He was the Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, a large German state, from 2017 to 2021. He also led the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) political party from 2021 to 2022. After the 2021 national election, he became a member of the German Parliament, called the Bundestag.
Before becoming a full-time politician, Laschet studied law and worked as a journalist. He started his political career in the German Parliament in 1994. Later, in 1999, he became a member of the European Parliament. In 2005, he began working in state politics in North Rhine-Westphalia. He became the leader of the CDU party in that state in 2012. Then, in 2017, he was elected as the Minister President of the state. His government worked with members of his own CDU party and the Free Democratic Party (FDP).
In January 2021, Laschet was chosen as the leader of the CDU party. He won the election with 52.8% of the votes from party members. In April 2021, he was confirmed as the candidate for Chancellor of Germany for the CDU/CSU group in the 2021 national election. He was born into a Catholic family with roots in Belgium. He is married to Susanne Malangré, whom he met in a children's choir.
Contents
Who is Armin Laschet?
Early Life and Education
Armin Laschet was born on 18 February 1961 in Burtscheid, a town near Aachen, Germany. This area is very close to the borders of Belgium and the Netherlands. He grew up in a Catholic family. His father was a mining engineer and later became a school teacher.
The Laschet family originally came from Liège Province in Belgium. His grandparents moved to Aachen from Belgium in the 1920s. Because of this, his family had relatives in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Armin Laschet still has strong connections to Belgium.
He went to school in Aachen and then studied law at universities in Bonn and Munich. He also studied journalism. He can speak French very well.
From 1986 to 1994, Laschet worked as a journalist and in publishing. He was a reporter for a radio station and then became the editor-in-chief of a Catholic newspaper.
Start of His Political Journey
Armin Laschet began his political career in the German Parliament, the Bundestag. He was elected in 1994 to represent his hometown area of Aachen. In the Bundestag, he worked on committees dealing with economic cooperation and European Union matters. He was known as a moderate member of his party. He served in the Bundestag until 1998.
From 1999 to 2005, Laschet was a Member of the European Parliament. This meant he helped make decisions for the whole European Union. He worked on committees for budgets and foreign affairs. He also helped write reports on how the EU worked with the United Nations.
Armin Laschet's Key Roles
Working in State Politics
In 2005, Armin Laschet started working in the government of North Rhine-Westphalia. This is the most populated state in Germany. He was a state minister for different areas:
- From 2005 to 2010, he was the Minister for Generations, Family, Women, and Integration. This role focused on helping families and making sure different groups of people could live together well.
- From 2010, he was the Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe, and Media. This role involved working with the national government and other European countries.
In 2012, he became the leader of the CDU party in North Rhine-Westphalia. He also became one of the five deputy leaders of the national CDU party.
Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia
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In May 2017, Armin Laschet led his party to win the state election in North Rhine-Westphalia. This was a surprise victory. He then became the 11th Minister President of the state. His government was a partnership between the CDU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). As Minister President, he represented his state in the Bundesrat, which is like Germany's upper house of parliament.
Leading the CDU Party
In February 2020, the previous CDU party leader announced she would step down. Armin Laschet decided to run for the leadership role. After some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the election happened in January 2021. Laschet won and became the new president of the CDU.
After he became party leader, the CDU/CSU group had to choose their candidate for Chancellor in the upcoming national election. There was a lot of discussion, but in April 2021, Armin Laschet was chosen to be their candidate.
Running for Chancellor
Armin Laschet led the CDU/CSU campaign for the 2021 German national election. He aimed to become the next Chancellor of Germany. He worked with Markus Söder, the leader of the CSU party, to present their election plans. They focused on fighting the pandemic, dealing with climate change, and keeping Germany strong.
During the campaign, Laschet faced some challenges. For example, he was seen laughing during a visit to a flood-hit town, which led to criticism. He apologized for this.
In the 2021 election, the CDU/CSU had their lowest result ever, finishing second. The SPD won the most votes. After this result, Laschet took responsibility for the outcome.
After Party Leadership
After the election loss, Armin Laschet resigned as Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia in October 2021. He returned to being a member of the Bundestag. He also stepped down as the leader of the CDU party in December 2021. He continues to be an important voice in German politics.
What Armin Laschet Believes In
Environment and Climate Change
Armin Laschet has faced criticism regarding his approach to climate change. While he stated that North Rhine-Westphalia was a "pioneer" in climate protection, some environmental groups disagreed. During his time as Minister President, the growth of wind power slowed down in his state.
European Cooperation
Laschet believes in making the European Union stronger. He thinks the EU should work together more on issues like fighting terrorism, organized crime, and energy policy. He also wants people in EU countries to directly elect the President of the European Commission.
He has met with French President Emmanuel Macron several times, showing his support for strong ties with France.
Social Issues
Laschet supported former Chancellor Angela Merkel's policies on migration during the European migrant crisis in 2015. He has also spoken about other social topics. For example, he once called proposals for a burqa ban a "phony debate."
International Relations
Laschet believes Germany needs to be better prepared for global challenges. He thinks Germany should have a foreign policy that is more independent. He also wants the EU to think and act more strategically on the world stage.
He has supported the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and closer ties with China. He has also argued that Germany should increase its military spending and take on more responsibility within NATO.
Personal Life
Armin Laschet is married to Susanne Malangré. They met as children in a Catholic children's choir. They got married in 1985 and have three children: two sons and one daughter. The family lives in Aachen. His wife's family also has Belgian roots and is well-known in Aachen. Their son, Johannes, is a blogger and model. Armin Laschet is a Roman Catholic.
Other Activities
Armin Laschet is involved in several other organizations:
- He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the RAG-Stiftung, which supports coal mining areas.
- He is part of the Atlantik-Brücke, an organization that promotes German-American relations.
- He is a member of the Central Committee of German Catholics.
- He is on the board of directors for the Charlemagne Prize, an award for work promoting European unity.
- He is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Images for kids
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Armin Laschet's signature
See also
In Spanish: Armin Laschet para niños
