The party's parliamentary leader, Wolfgang Schäuble, was elected unopposed as Mr Kohl's successor.

Mr Kohl, who has led the party for 25 years, was moved to tears at a party conference in Bonn when Norbert Blüm, the former labour minister and a long-time colleague, praised his achievements - mentioning, in particular, the unification of Germany.

Mr Schäuble, 56, promised that under his leadership the CDU would remain at the political centre. He attacked the new German government of Gerhard Schröder as being more concerned with style than with substance.

Popular politician

The chosen successor to Mr Kohl, Mr Schäuble is also one of the country's most popular politicians. He won widespread admiration for his decision to carry on in politics despite being left paralysed by an assassination attempt in 1990.

But he inherits a party deeply demoralised by September's election defeat, which was blamed mainly on Mr Kohl's failure to step down sooner, and on his government's inability to bring down mass unemployment.

Some younger CDU members believe the party still needs a more thorough renewal than that currently on offer from the party's elder statesmen.

Mr Kohl served as German chancellor for 16 years, until losing the election to Mr Schröder and the Social Democratic Party.