Editing Angela Merkel (section)

==== Elections ====
In the [[1990 German federal election|German federal election of 1990]], the first to be held following reunification, Merkel successfully stood for election to the [[Bundestag]] in the parliamentary constituency of [[Stralsund&nbsp;– Nordvorpommern&nbsp;– Rügen (electoral district)|Stralsund – Nordvorpommern – Rügen]] in North [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.focus.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/kommunen-merkel-im-landkreis-vorpommern-ruegen-erwartet_id_6455183.html|agency=dpa|title=Merkel wirbt für gute Finanzausstattung der Kommunen|date=6 January 2010|work=Focus Online|access-date=29 April 2017|language=de|archive-date=9 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109094717/http://www.focus.de/regional/mecklenburg-vorpommern/kommunen-merkel-im-landkreis-vorpommern-ruegen-erwartet_id_6455183.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She received the crucial backing of influential CDU minister and state party chairman [[Günther Krause]]. She was re-elected from this constituency (renamed, with slightly adjusted borders, [[Vorpommern-Rügen – Vorpommern-Greifswald I]] in 2003) in every election until the CDU lost its [[Direktmandat|direct mandate]] from the constituency in the [[2021 German federal election|2021 federal election]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=27 September 2021 |title=Merkel gewann acht Mal in Folge das Direktmandat in ihrem Wahlkreis – jetzt siegte eine junge SPD-Politikerin |url=https://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/cdu-verliert-direktmandat-in-merkels-bisherigem-wahlkreis-an-spd-politikerin-30777532.html |access-date=21 June 2023 |website=stern.de |language=de |archive-date=6 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206203902/https://www.stern.de/politik/deutschland/cdu-verliert-direktmandat-in-merkels-bisherigem-wahlkreis-an-spd-politikerin-30777532.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Almost immediately following her entry into parliament, Merkel was appointed by [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] [[Helmut Kohl]] to serve as [[Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth|Minister for Women and Youth]] in the [[Cabinet of Germany|federal cabinet]].

In November 1991, Merkel, with the support of the federal CDU, ran for the state leadership of the CDU in the state of Brandenburg, which neighbours Berlin. She lost to [[Ulf Fink]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Brandenburg: Merkels Union der Probleme |language=de-DE |work=Der Tagesspiegel Online |url=https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/brandenburg/merkels-union-der-probleme-7386607.html |access-date=5 June 2023 |issn=1865-2263 |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115239/https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/brandenburg/merkels-union-der-probleme-7386607.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 1993, Merkel was elected leader of the CDU in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, succeeding her former mentor [[Günther Krause]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Geschichte der CDU |url=https://www.kas.de/en/web/geschichte-der-cdu/mecklenburg-vorpommern |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung |language=en |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115238/https://www.kas.de/en/web/geschichte-der-cdu/mecklenburg-vorpommern |url-status=live }}</ref>