Wolfgang Gerhardt, who led Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats, dies at 80

BERLIN (AP) — Wolfgang Gerhardt, a politician who led Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats from 1995 to 2001, has died. He was 80. Gerhardt’s death on Friday was announced by Christian Lindner, the current head of the party. The Free Democrats have been a coalition partner in several German governments, including the current three-party coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in which he served as finance minister. Gerhardt was party chairman from 1995 to 2001 and chairman of its group in parliament from 1998 to 2006. Lindner said Gerhardt led the party in a difficult phase of its history, holding it together and getting it back on its feet.