Ronald Pofalla

Who is Ronald Pofalla?

Ronald Pofalla is a German politician. He was the Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery and a Federal Minister for Special Affairs from 2009 to 2013 as part of the Second Merkel Cabinet.

From 2004 to 2005 he was deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, and served as the Secretary General of the CDU from 2005 to 2009, when he was appointed to cabinet, succeeding Thomas de Maizière as Chief of Staff.

Pofalla studied social pedagogy at the Fachhochschule in Kleve. After finishing with a Diplom in 1981 he studied law at the University of Cologne. In 1991 he passed the second Staatsexamen. Since that time Pofalla has been licensed to work as a lawyer.

Pofalla has been a member of the CDU since 1975. At first he was engaged in the Junge Union. He was chairman of the JU in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1986 to 1992.

Ronald Pofalla has been repeatedly criticized for being rude towards other representatives of the Bundestag and other secretaries of the German government.