On 18 March 1990, there were free elections to the parliament of East Germany, the "Volkskammer" ("People's Chamber"). These election was won by the "Allianz für Deutschland" ("Alliance for Germany"), a group of parties which wanted the GDR to be annexed by West Germany. The most importand party of the Alliance was the CDU, and their chairman, Lothar de Maizière, became the new Minister-President of the GDR. The new government started the process of reunification, which finally came to an end on 3 October 1990.