Rolf Schlierer
Rolf Schlierer (born 21 February 1955 in Stuttgart) is a German physician, lawyer and politician and the former leader of the German right-wing party The Republicans (REP). He was replaced as party leader in 2014 by Johann Gärtner.
Early life and non-political career
Schlierer studied at the
Following his military service Schlierer took up study in philosophy and jurisprudence at the University of Tübingen between 1981 and 1988. Passing his first legal exams in 1988, he established his legal practice in Stuttgart in 1991.[1]
Politics
Schlierer first came to prominence as chairman of the university political committee of the Deutsche Burschenschaft between 1975 and 1976 and he remained associated with this organisation until 1985.[1] Schlierer became associated with REP sometime after this, although he left the party in 1988 due to the increasing radicalisation under leader Franz Schönhuber.[2] He then rejoined REP in 1989 and soon became deputy chairman of the party in Baden-Württemberg as well as party leader in Stuttgart.[1]
Schlierer succeeded Schönhuber as party chairman on 17 December 1994.
Eschewing the possibility of any alliances with more
Although the Baden-Württemberg result had secured his position, Schlierer would soon find himself facing renewed criticism from the extremists within the party as subsequent election results proved disappointing.[6] As a consequence he faced a leadership challenge in 1998 from Christian Käs. Ultimately Käs withdrew his candidacy at the last minute and so Schlierer continued as leader, although the contest further exposed the divisions between the party's two wings.[6] Käs remained as one of the party's vice-chairmen, and continued to be a critical voice against the leadership, whilst Schlierer was forced into a climbdown when he met representatives of the German People's Union, whom he had previously dismissed as a "paper party" that had little existence beyond leader Gerhard Frey, and agreed that the two parties should call a series of local electoral truces in their main areas of activities.[6]
More recently, as part of his drive for moderation in REP, he has also sought to forge links with the
After a series of disappointing election results Schlierer stood down as party leader in 2014. He was succeeded by Johann Gärtner, who had served as Schlierer's deputy for 18 years.[9]
Personal life
Schlierer is married with two children and is a practising
References
- ^ a b c d e f Rolf Schlierer's website Archived 2008-09-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cas Mudde, The Ideology of the Extreme Right, Manchester University Press, 2002, p. 34
- ^ The Fortunes of Europe's Far Right
- ^ a b Mary N. Hampton & Christian Soe, Between Bonn and Berlin, 1999, p. 157
- ^ a b Mudde, op cit, p. 36
- ^ a b c d Mudde, op cit, p. 37
- ^ Haider's German Echo
- ^ Germany Searches Soul With Debate On Citizenship
- ^ Abgesang auf die REP