Westerwelle was secretary general of Germany's Free Democratic Party (FDP) from 1994 to 2001, and the party's chairman from 2001 to 2011. He also served as chairman of the FDP’s parliamentary group from 2006 to 2009. From October 2009 to December 2013 he was German foreign minister in the second cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel. He is the founder of the Westerwelle Foundation for International Understanding.
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