[1] During the 2005 federal election campaign, Angela Merkel, leader of the CDU/CSU, announced that Kirchhof would serve as minister of finance if she formed a government.

This proposal undermined the CDU's credibility on economic affairs and led many Germans to believe that the party's platform for deregulation would only benefit the rich.

Although Merkel's popularity improved after she later distanced herself from Kirchhof's proposals, the CDU did not recover its earlier large lead in the polls.

Kirchof attempted to bring the matter to a close before polling day by indicating that he would be remaining in academia and would not accept a position in government.

He has been quoted as saying that "the mother's career lies in the family, which doesn't produce power, but friendship, not money, but happiness."