Ernst Albrecht (politician, born 1930)

Ernst Albrecht (29 June 1930 – 13 December 2014) was a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He served as the Minister President of Lower Saxony from 1976 to 1990.

Albrecht was born in Heidelberg. He studied law and economics at the University of Göttingen and the University of Bonn. He received a doctorate in law in 1953.

Prior to entering politics, Albrecht worked for the European Economic Community in Brussels. He became the Director-General for Competition in 1967.

In 1970, Albrecht entered Lower Saxon state politics. He became a member of the Lower Saxon Landtag in 1970. He was elected Minister President of Lower Saxony in 1976, succeeding Alfred Kubel of the SPD. He held this position until 1990, when he was defeated by Gerhard Schröder.

Albrecht was known for his conservative policies and his efforts to promote economic development in Lower Saxony. During his tenure, Lower Saxony experienced significant economic growth, particularly in the automotive industry. He also oversaw the expansion of the state's transportation infrastructure.

He was a candidate for Chancellor of Germany in the 1980 federal election, but withdrew his candidacy in favor of Franz Josef Strauss.

Albrecht was married to Heidi Adele Stromeyer, and they had seven children, including Ursula von der Leyen, who served as President of the European Commission.

He passed away in Burgdorf in 2014 after a long illness.