The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern e.V.) is a Christian democratic political party in Germany. It operates exclusively in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the CDU, operates in the rest of the country. Only in 1957, in the state of Saarland (in the first election after it had rejoined Germany), did the CSU run against CDU candidates, but this section of the CSU later merged with the CDU. On the federal level, the CSU is often perceived as the more socially conservative of the two parties, although recently it has also been seen as more leftist on economic issues than the CDU. At times, especially when the CDU showed weaknesses, there has been considerable tension up to threats to break up the cooperation. Most of the time, however, they work together very closely.

The CSU has led the Bavarian state government practically since it came into existence, and without the need for a coalition government for most of the time. This level of dominance is unique in post-war Germany. On the federal level, it forms a common faction in the Bundestag (Federal Parliament) with the CDU. Edmund Stoiber took over the CSU chairmanship early in 1999. He ran for chancellor in 2002, but lost. In 2003 the CSU was re-elected as the Bavarian government with an overall majority. Franz Josef Strauß (1915-1988) is seen as having set the ideological basis of the party, although he was too young to be a founding leader of the party, which began as a continuation of the Weimar-era Bavarian People's Party and, to a lesser extent, by the Catholic Centre Party.

Chairmen of the Christian Social Union, 1946-present

• Josef Müller 1946-1949
• Hans Ehard 1949-1955
• Hanns Seidel 1955-1961
• Franz Josef Strauß 1961-1988
• Theodor Waigel 1988-1999
• Edmund Stoiber 1999-

See also

• Christian Democratic Union of Germany
• Politics of Germany
• Bundestag (Federal Assembly of Germany)

External links

• Christlich-Soziale Union - Official site (English page)

Catholic political parties | Political parties in Germany | International Democrat Union | 1945 establishments

CSU | Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern | Χριστιανοκοινωνική Ένωση της Γερμανίας (CSU) | Unión Social Cristiana de Baviera | Union chrétienne-sociale en Bavière | Bajor Keresztényszociális Unió | Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern | Christlich-Soziale Union | キリスト教社会同盟 | Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern | CSU | Unia Chrześcijańsko-Społeczna (CSU) | Christlich-Soziale Union | Uniunea Creştin-Socială din Bavaria | Христианско-социальный союз Баварии | CSU | CSU | 拜恩基督教社会联盟