Evangelical Working Group of the CDU/CSU

The Evangelical Working Group of the CDU/CSU (Evangelischer Arbeitskreis der CDU/CSU) (EAK) is a specialized agency of the CDU and CSU.^[1] The term evangelical is not to be confused with a more conservative or radical connotation in the English language, but refers to the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, the general union of mostly Lutheran and mainstream regional churches.

The CDU/CSU was originally dominated by Catholics. The EAK was established in order to secure the position of the Protestant members. It also facilitates dialogue with the Protestant churches within Germany. Since the 1960s, the importance of the EAK has declined along with the declining importance of the religious divide of Catholics and Protestants in Germany.