Christian Democratic Union of Germany The SPD quickly gained popularity and succeeded in forming a social-liberal coalition with the FDP following the 1969 federal election, forcing the CDU out of power for the first time in their history. The CDU continued its role as opposition until 1982, when the FDP's withdrawal from the coalition with the SPD allowed the CDU to regain power. CDU Chairman Helmut Kohl became the new Chancellor of West Germany and his CDU–FDP coalition was confirmed in the 1983 federal election. Public support for the coalition's work in the process of German reunification was reiterated in the 1990 federal election in
History of Germany since 1990 decision by Merkel to authorize unrestricted entry led to heavy criticism in Germany as well as within Europe. In that period, Berlin was affected by a truck ramming incident in a Christmas market in December 2016. In 2017, Angela Merkel was elected to a fourth term as Chancellor. The FDP reenters the Bundestag and for the first time, the right-wing conservative AfD also enters. History of Germany since 1990 The history of Germany since 1990 spans the period following the Reunification of Germany, when West Germany and East Germany were reunited after being divided during the Cold War. Germany after