At the traditional Epiphany meeting of the FDP shows optimism. Party leader Christian Lindner hopes for even better times, good election results and government participation. From Stuttgart Volker Witting reported.
The saints have thought of this Time to the FDP. Despite the drizzle of rain and cold, the Three kings appeared on time in the Foyer of the Opera house in Stuttgart. Three years ago – since the FDP not in the Bundestag – they had forgotten the tradition-rich party date simple. This Time they welcome the party and the party leader Christian Lindner, the incense fog. Greet the sacred Delegation obediently back, and wishes them all the best for 2019. Previously, he out to the protesting party youth had, the July, calling for more environmental protection in the party program.
Ready for the Reign
Lindner does not lose even a lot of time; coming to the Central theme for the FDP, the join the government Again. “A fair deal” (for coalition participation) will not exclude his party. “Everyone is welcome,” adds Lindner with a larmoyanten Smile. Applause he’s getting for this not only out of the 15 FDP functionaries, grouped in a new-fangled, white Seating area on the stage around him, but also from the well-filled hall.
In front of the Opera house, the young Liberals have demonstrated
Long Lindner had – and again explicitly – elections for a government involvement required. “He is ready, even in the current parliamentary term in a Jamaica-government advocate,” analyzes a party researcher Ulrich von Alemann in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
Tip-to-scales-party
The FDP has celebrated the end of the passed year anniversary: 70 years of Liberal. Without the FDP, almost nothing went in Germany for a long time. The little party was again and again to tip the scales; for the state party to wear, without the was no government, no matter whether in a coalition with the Union or the SPD.
But then, in September 2013, failed the FDP for the first Time in their history at the Five-percent hurdle; was in the Bundestag.
The guiding light and Chairman: Christian Lindner
The young Christian Lindner, the party was first the chief, then, of hope and, soon, the light figure, for he had brought back, the FDP in the elections of 2017, with nearly eleven percent in the Bundestag. The party was – and remains – for many a simple Christian Lindner. However, some have not forgiven him until today that he said in November 2017 this sentence: “It is better not to reign than to govern wrong!” This dictum was the end of the coalition exploratory talks between the CDU, CSU, SPD, Greens and FDP. It’s the end of the dream, there was a government involvement and rising survey. “It’s going to the FDP still has a Chance to Rule at the time, deliberately,” believes party researchers of Alemann.
The One-Man-Show of the FDP, Christian Lindner
And even if you can speak with party members in Stuttgart, it is said again and again: “This sentence has been polarized,” says, for example, Jan Siegemund of the FDP in Thuringia. There and in two other Eastern German Federal States will be elected this year, by the end of may in Bremen; at the same time with the European elections.
“I’m optimistic, if I sprayed it on the state of the FDP 2019 look”, Christian Lindner Confidence on the stage. Also for the “next milestone” – the upcoming elections.
Actually, good times for liberals: The social Democrats will experience a rapid crash, the CDU stands there with a neatly trimmed Angela Merkel, who has abandoned only a few weeks ago, the party Chairman and, therefore, very much Power and Prestige. But the party is languishing in the polls at around nine per cent, worse than the result during the last Bundestag election.
Agenda for the Hardworking
Therefore, Lindner is also on the attack – against the successful Green and also against the new party Chairman of the CDU, Kramp-Karrenbauer. They have promoted tax increases and real in some points, “even reactionary” view of the world, calls Lindner in the room. A political scientist by Alemann in the renewal of the mandate of the CDU is a real Chance for the liberals: “they (Kramp-Karrenbauer) in their internal political preferences of conservative and Catholic than Angela Merkel.”
Attacks against the CDU, the FDP is trying to position itself in Stuttgart
Exactly trying to Lindner. In Stuttgart, he announced the “Agenda for the hard-working” and the “Agenda for greater self-determination and liberalism”. So more attention for pensioners, low income earners and savers. More room for citizens ‘ rights, all forms of marriage and the privacy.
Ria Schröder, the Chairman of the “young liberals” is satisfied with this Epiphany and with your party leader. “He has raised the issue of environmental protection on the offensive. But it could be a little bit more.” And one of you wishes for 2019. A little less One-Man-Show, Christian Lindner: “in the long term, the FDP is doing, it is good to have different heads in the front.”
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