Rainer Brüderle (born 22 June 1945)
is a German politician and member of the FDP.
He served as Minister of Economics and Transport of Rhineland-Palatinate from 1987–1998.
On 28 October 2009, he was appointed Federal Minister for Economics and Technology in the second cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Following his election in May 2011 as chairman of his party's parliamentary group, Brüderle resigned as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Technology.