German political party advocating regulated economic competition and close cooperation with the U.S. in foreign policy.
It held power from the establishment of the West German republic in 1948 until 1969, and again in the years 198298. In 1990, with Helmut Kohl as chancellor, it oversaw the reunification of Germany. In the following years it and its coalition partners faced discontent over the economic burden of reunification, but the coalition retained a reduced power. Revelations of financial corruption in 1999 severely damaged the reputation of the party and of former chancellor Kohl. See also Konrad Adenauer , Christian Democracy .