Brandenburg’s FDP state chairman, Zyon Braun, has introduced party vice‑chair Henning Höne as the party’s next leader. “Henning Höne is a fresh face and simultaneously an experienced parliamentarian” Braun told “Der Spiegel”.
Höne announced at the end of last week that he would run for the federal party chair at the national convention scheduled for the end of May, challenging the current incumbent, Christian Dürr. Braun said, “When it comes to regaining trust, leaving the past behind, and orchestrating a genuine new start, a new leadership team must take responsibility in the FDP. Henning Höne can deliver that”.
Hans‑Ulrich Rülke, a member of the FDP’s Presidium, called for a clear re‑arrangement in light of the upcoming chair election. Speaking to “Der Spiegel”, he said, “We must separate ourselves from our past on the national stage, especially the ‘traffic‑light’ coalition, and do so with a definitive cut”. He added that no “thinking bans” should exist, and that a new name might even be considered.
The debate over potentially changing the party’s name dates back to 2013, when the FDP first missed re‑entry into the Bundestag.
