Personnel Reshuffle: Dos Santos-Wintz Takes Key Role in Union Parliamentary Group

Catarina dos Santos-Wintz is poised to take on a significant leadership role within the Union parliamentary group at the age of 32, becoming the First Parliamentary Managing Director. This appointment, proposed by the new group leader Thorsten Frei, marks a notable career advancement for the CDU politician.

The position of First Parliamentary Managing Director is the second most influential role within the parliamentary group, after the group's leader. In this capacity, dos Santos-Wintz will oversee the daily operations of the governing parliamentary group, manage speaking times, coordinate legislative processes, and strategize on parliamentary tactics. She expressed confidence in her ability to handle the demanding responsibilities of this influential post.

Dos Santos-Wintz, who entered the Bundestag in 2021 at age 27, is no stranger to parliamentary management. Since 2025, she has served as one of three Parliamentary Managing Directors for the CDU, describing her previous role as being "right in the engine room of our parliamentary group." Her legal background, with a focus on tax law, and prior experience as a lawyer specializing in corporate succession, provided her with a solid foundation before entering politics.

Born in Lisbon and raised near Aachen, dos Santos-Wintz won her direct mandate in the Aachen II constituency during the 2025 federal election with a strong 40.1% of the vote. She has also held various political offices at the regional level, including in the regional council and state executive board of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia, where she has been involved in issues ranging from structural change and semiconductors to federal military bases and regional identity.

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right in the engine room of our parliamentary group