Schäuble served in government in various functions, first under former Chancellor Helmut Kohl as minister for special tasks and head of chancellery from 1984 to 1989, and as interior minister from 1989 to 1991, during which time he played a key role in negotiating German reunification. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel appointed him again as interior minister from 2005 to 2009 and as finance minister from 2009 to 2017.

It was in the latter role that Schäuble attained international fame, but also sparked great controversy, becoming the face of the strict austerity measures that the…