Strauss, Franz Josef (1915–1988)

German conservative politician, leader of the West German Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) party 1961–88, premier of Bavaria 1978–88.

Born and educated in Munich, Strauss, after military service 1939–45, joined the CSU and was elected to the Bundestag (parliament) in 1949. He held ministerial posts during the 1950s and 1960s and became leader of the CSU in 1961. In 1962 he lost his post as minister of defence when he illegally shut down the offices of Der Spiegel for a month, after the magazine revealed details of a failed NATO exercise. In the 1970s Strauss opposed Ostpolitik (the policy of reconciliation with the East). He left the Bundestag to become premier of Bavaria in 1978, and was heavily defeated in 1980 as chancellor candidate. From 1982 Strauss sought to force changes in the economic and foreign policy of the coalition under Chancellor Kohl.