The FDP (Free Democratic Party) began its federal party congress in Berlin on Saturday. The focal point of this gathering is the vote this afternoon for the new federal chairman, Wolfgang Kubicki. The former Deputy President of the Bundestag is tasked with steering the deeply troubled party back onto a path of success.
Competition for the leadership post is currently non-existent. Just in mid-May, Henning Höne, the state head for North Rhine-Westphalia, withdrew his candidacy for the chairman role, choosing instead to run as vice-chairman. At the time, both Kubicki and Höne demonstrated solidarity by making their decision public together.
The FDP is currently experiencing what is arguably the biggest crisis in its history. Since failing to secure a place in the Bundestag during last year’s February elections, the party has consistently ranked below the five percent threshold in opinion polls. Furthermore, in March, the FDP lost seats in both its core state of Baden-Württemberg and in Rhineland-Palatinate, where it was a governing partner. On the federal level, there appears to be general skepticism about a FDP comeback. A recent Forsa poll indicated that approximately two-thirds of respondents do not believe the party can surpass the five percent mark even with new leadership.
