Klaus Welle

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Klaus Welle is a German political adviser and de facto politician. Since January 2007, he has been Head of the Office (cabinet) of the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, in Brussels. Born in Beelen in 1964, Welle studied economics at the University of Witten-Herdecke, before becoming Head of Foreign and European Affairs for the CDU party in Bonn (1991-94). He then served successively as Secretary General of the European People's Party (EPP), Secretary General of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Director General for Internal Policies in the general secretariat of the European Parliament. During his time with the EPP transnational party and EPP-ED Group, Welle is credited with the strategy of opening the formerly Christian Democrat EPP alliance to a broader range of conservative and liberal political forces, so consolidating the European centre-right. This approach culminated in the EPP-ED Group becoming the largest political force in the European Parliament in June 1999, a position it has enjoyed ever since. In 1991-95, Welle also cut his political teeth as Chairperson of the Democrat Youth Community of Europe.^[1]