Gordon Schnieder

Gordon Schnieder (born 8 July 1975) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) serving as Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate since 18 May 2026. He has represented the Vulkaneifel constituency in the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate since 2016 and has been state chairman of the CDU Rhineland-Palatinate since September 2024.

In the 22 March 2026 state election the CDU under Schnieder obtained 31.0 percent of the vote and finished first, ending 35 years of SPD-led governments. He was elected Minister-President on 18 May 2026 at the head of a CDU–SPD grand coalition. From March 2023 to May 2026 he chaired the CDU parliamentary group and served as leader of the opposition.

Early life and education

Upbringing

Gordon Schnieder was born on 8 July 1975 and grew up in the rural village of Birresborn in Rhineland-Palatinate's Vulkaneifel district, part of the Eifel region known for its volcanic terrain and agricultural heritage. This setting fostered his longstanding ties to local concerns, shaping perspectives that would later inform his political priorities. Alongside his family, he experienced the rhythms of village life in this sparsely populated area. In 1991, at age 16, Schnieder joined the CDU, marking an initial engagement with the party's values.

Education

Schnieder attended Gymnasium St. Matthias in Gerolstein from 1985 to 1994, where he completed his Abitur.cdu-fraktion-rlp.de (opens in a new tab)

Afterward, he served his Grundwehrdienst from 1994 to 1995 at the Heinrich-Hertz-Kaserne in Daun.cdu-fraktion-rlp.de (opens in a new tab)

From 1995 to 1998, he studied tax law and financial economics at the Fachhochschule für Finanzen Nordrhein-Westfalen in Nordkirchen, obtaining a diploma as Dipl.-Finanzwirt (FH).cdu-fraktion-rlp.de (opens in a new tab)

Professional background

Public administration roles

Schnieder commenced his career in public administration following his qualification as a Dipl.-Finanzwirt in 1998. From 1998 to 2001, he was employed in the Finanzverwaltung of North Rhine-Westphalia at the Finanzamt Köln-Altstadt, gaining practical expertise in tax assessment and revenue management.

In January 2002, he moved to Rhineland-Palatinate, taking up a position in the Sitzungsdienst at the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm administration, which he held until April 2004. This role involved supporting administrative sessions and procedural coordination, enhancing his understanding of bureaucratic processes and decision-making frameworks. These early positions in finance and district administration cultivated Schnieder's proficiency in fiscal oversight and public sector operations, laying a groundwork for effective governance.

Local government positions

From May 2004 to March 2014, Schnieder served as deputy treasurer (stellvertretender Kämmerer) of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm, managing district financial operations and building on his earlier roles in public finance administration in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In April 2014, he advanced to head of municipal supervision (Leiter der Kommunalaufsicht) within the same district administration, a position he held until his 2016 election to the state parliament, where he focused on overseeing local government compliance, budgeting, and fiscal oversight for municipalities. This progression underscored his expertise in local fiscal governance, bridging administrative experience to broader political responsibilities.

Political career

Local politics

Schnieder entered local politics as a member of the Kreistag (district council) of Vulkaneifel in 2004. In 2007, he served as the CDU candidate for Landrat (district administrator) of Vulkaneifel but did not prevail in the election against the incumbent.

He advanced within the CDU at the district level, becoming Kreisvorsitzender (district chairman) of CDU Vulkaneifel in 2010 and chairman of the CDU Kreistagsfraktion (district council group) in 2013. In 2014, Schnieder was elected Ortsbürgermeister (mayor) of Birresborn, serving until 2019.

Schnieder also held leadership positions in communal associations, including as Landesvorsitzender (state chairman) of the Kommunalpolitischen Vereinigung (Communal Political Association) of Rhineland-Palatinate from 2017 to 2021 and stellvertretender Bundesvorsitzender (deputy federal chairman) of the CDU/CSU communal association from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, he has served as Vizepräsident (vice president) of the Landesmusikverband (State Music Association) of Rhineland-Palatinate since March 2018.

State legislature entry

Schnieder was elected to the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate in 2016 as the direct candidate for the Vulkaneifel constituency, securing 42.9 percent of the vote. He built on his local CDU leadership to transition to state-level politics. He was re-elected via direct mandate in the same constituency in 2021.

In the Landtag, Schnieder initially served as the CDU Obmann in the Enquete-Kommission on the economic factor of tourism, a role he held until December 2017. He became a member of the Innenausschuss and acted as the Kommunalpolitischer Sprecher for the CDU parliamentary group.

Leadership roles

In 22 March 2023, Schnieder was elected chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate, succeeding Christian Baldauf and thereby assuming the role of opposition leader. This position built on his service as a Landtag member since 2016, positioning him at the forefront of the party's legislative efforts.

Schnieder further advanced in September 2024 when he was elected state chairman of the CDU in Rhineland-Palatinate, enhancing his influence over the party's regional strategy and organization. In this capacity, he has emphasized policy renewal and opposition to the incumbent SPD-led government.

The CDU, with Schnieder as lead candidate, won the 22 March 2026 Landtag election with 31.0 percent of the vote, becoming the largest party for the first time since 1991. On 18 May 2026 the Landtag elected him Minister-President of a CDU–SPD coalition. He was succeeded as parliamentary group chairman by Christoph Gensch on 13 May 2026.