Christian Wulff was born in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, on 19 June 1959 as the second child of Rudolf and Dagmar Wulff. He gained his Abitur, the higher education entrance qualification, at Ernst Moritz Arndt Grammar School. At an early age, he became active as a pupil and later student representative, as well as in the Schüler Union and the Junge Union (youth organizations affiliated to the CDU).

From 1980 to 1986 Christian Wulff studied law, specializing in economics, at the University of Osnabrück. In 1987 he passed his first state examination in law in Hanover, subsequently he did his practical legal training at Oldenburg Higher Regional Court and passed the second state examination in law in Hanover in 1990. That same year, he joined a law firm.

In 1986 Christian Wulff became a CDU member of Osnabrück council, and from 1989 to 1994 he was leader of the CDU group. He remained a member of the council until 2001. In 1994 he was elected to Lower Saxony's parliament. In March of that year, he became the leader of the CDU parliamentary group, and in June he was elected chairman of his party in Lower Saxony. In 1998 he was elected CDU Deputy Federal Chairman.

In 1988 Christian Wulff married Christiane Vogt, with whom he has a daughter. Annalena was born in 1993. In 2006, after 18 years together, the couple agreed to separate. In 2008 Christian Wulff married Bettina Körner. Together they have a son, Linus Florian, who was born in 2008. Bettina Wulff brought a son, Leander, born in 2003, into the marriage.

After the 2003 elections in Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff was voted Minister-President by the members of Lower Saxony's parliament on 4 March, and he was confirmed in this position on 26 February 2008. He held the office of Minister-President until 30 June 2010, the day of the 14th Federal Convention, which elected him tenth President of the Federal Republic of Germany. At his own request, his CDU membership has been suspended since that day.

Christian Wulff has been patron of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Organisation, since 2001. Christian Wulff is Roman Catholic. He holds honorary doctorates from Tongji University in Shanghai (China) and Tsukuba University in Tokyo (Japan).

In 2011 Christian Wulff was presented with the Leo Baeck Award by the Central Council of Jews in Germany. In the same year he received the Medal of Honour from the German Olympic Sports Confederation.

On 17 February 2012 Christian Wulff resigned from his office of Federal President.