Page "Christian Social Union of Bavaria" Paragraph 5

The CSU has led the Bavarian state government since it came into existence in 1946, save from 1950 to 1953 when the Bavaria Party formed a state government in coalition with the German Branches of the SPD and FDP.

The CSU currently governs with the FDP.

Before the 2008 elections in Bavaria, the CSU perennially achieved absolute majorities at the state level by itself.

This level of dominance is unique among Germany's 16 states.

Edmund Stoiber took over the CSU leadership in 1999.

He ran for Federal Chancellor in 2002, but his preferred CDU / CSU and FDP coalition lost against the SPD candidate Gerhard Schröder's SPD-Green alliance.

In 2003, the CSU was re-elected as the Bavarian government with a majority ( 60. 7 % and 124 of 180 seats in the state parliament ).

On 18 January 2007, Stoiber announced his decision to step down from the posts of Minister-President and CSU chairman by 30 September of that year.