(de-news.net) – With the election of Wolfgang Kubicki as federal leader, the appointment of Martin Hagen as General Secretary, and the partial acceptance of its economic resolution, the FDP has ended its federal convention. In addition to highlighting policy goals on the economy, energy, migration, education, and civil liberties, the proceedings exposed some internal divides within the party on its ideological direction and established a platform for future state campaigns.
After a weekend characterized by intensive policy discussions, significant leadership changes, and pronounced internal divisions, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) formally concluded its two-day federal party convention in Berlin on Sunday. Delegates approved only a portion of the convention’s central resolution, which had been presented as a comprehensive strategy for revitalizing Germany’s economic competitiveness. The remaining sections, which addressed additional economic, social, and administrative reforms, were referred back to the party leadership for further deliberation due to the limits of the scheduled agenda. Among the party’s key liberal priorities were measures to reduce bureaucratic complexity, eliminate certain subsidies, and institute a system of two unpaid waiting days before statutory sick-pay reimbursement begins, which the party framed as a way to encourage individual responsibility and reduce administrative burdens.
The convention took place against the backdrop of a leadership transition. Kubicki, previously the party’s deputy chairman, was elected as the FDP’s new federal head prior to the formal sessions. Kubicki prevailed over Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a member of the European Parliament, securing approximately 59 percent of the votes, while his challenger unexpectedly garnered just over 39 percent. Observers interpreted the relatively narrow margin of victory, alongside the similarly modest support obtained by newly elected General Secretary Martin Hagen, as a clear indicator of deep factional divides within the party. The convention also saw the adoption of the policy platform entitled ‘Restart Germany: A Breakthrough for a Country That Can Succeed Again.’ Although the resolution was formally approved, numerous proposed amendments remained unresolved and were subsequently forwarded to the appropriate party committees for further review, highlighting the ongoing need for internal negotiation and consensus-building.
Hagen signals optimism for FDP revival ahead of key state elections
In his concluding remarks, Hagen described the convention as a substantive success, emphasizing that delegates had managed to select a representative leadership team, endorse key policy measures, and set the foundation for an electoral revival. He underscored the strategic importance of party cohesion in advance of the upcoming state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Berlin. Hagen maintained that the FDP’s primary rivals lay outside the party, in competing political formations, rather than among internal dissenters. Moreover, he presented an optimistic assessment of the party’s electoral prospects, citing polling data indicating that the share of citizens willing to consider voting for the FDP had increased substantially over the preceding two months. He framed the party’s immediate challenge as converting this latent support into actual votes and restoring the FDP’s position above the critical five-percent threshold necessary for parliamentary representation.
Kubicki’s leadership address depicted the FDP as a party simultaneously in profound crisis and at a juncture offering significant opportunity for renewal. He argued that the party had, over time, lost contact with the public’s conception of personal freedom, necessitating a renewed attentiveness to citizen concerns. Central to his vision of liberalism was a rejection of approaches that subordinated individual rights to collective or group identities, alongside an emphasis on personal accountability and self-determination. A significant portion of the speech focused on the principle of free expression, with Kubicki contending that public discourse in Germany was becoming increasingly constrained. He criticized institutional and legal mechanisms that, in his assessment, impeded legitimate political debate, and argued that freedom of expression must extend to criticism of those in public office. He further advocated the repeal of legal provisions granting enhanced protection from insult to officeholders, asserting that such measures undermined democratic accountability.
FDP chief calls for deregulation and investment incentives to boost growth
Economic policy was another principal theme. Kubicki attributed Germany’s slow growth and comparatively weak economic performance to excessive regulation, high energy costs, and a generally inhospitable climate for entrepreneurial activity. He emphasized that small and medium-sized enterprises were disproportionately affected by bureaucratic and regulatory requirements and called for targeted deregulation, greater institutional trust in business leaders, and stronger incentives to foster investment and innovation. Energy policy also drew pointed criticism. Kubicki argued that Germany’s elevated energy prices represented a serious competitive disadvantage, calling into question restrictions on domestic drilling while imports from abroad continued to meet national demand. He advocated exploring emerging technologies, such as small modular nuclear reactors, and cautioned against climate measures that might compromise economic competitiveness through unilateral national interventions. Furthermore, he contended that the federal coalition government had failed to address structural economic challenges adequately, prioritizing debt-financed expenditures over substantive reforms, thereby increasing the risk of economic stagnation and diminishing public confidence in democratic institutions.
Social cohesion, migration, and integration were addressed in depth. Kubicki urged stricter and more consistent enforcement of existing immigration laws and proposed a clearer distinction between labor migration and asylum policy. He stressed that inclusion in German society should be determined by adherence to democratic norms rather than ethnicity or cultural background. These concerns were tied to broader warnings about the potential for parallel societies to emerge, inadequately integrated communities, and the rise of antisemitism, all of which he linked to Islamist movements perceived as incompatible with liberal democratic principles.
Education policy constituted the final major component of his address. Kubicki highlighted what he viewed as an ongoing decline in educational outcomes as a central long-term challenge for Germany. He argued that mandatory language assessments before school enrollment, enhanced support for German language acquisition, and substantial increases in public investment in education were critical responses to both insufficient language proficiency among incoming students and steadily declining academic achievement. He framed educational success as foundational to social cohesion, equitable opportunity, and sustained economic growth.
Senior FDP figures call for cohesion
Strack-Zimmermann defended her late candidacy for the party leadership by arguing that party members deserved a genuine choice. She cited concerns over the FDP’s political trajectory, particularly debates concerning the party’s stance toward the Alternative for Germany (AfD), as motivating factors for her entry into the contest. She underscored the FDP’s identification with the political center and maintained that it should avoid positioning itself between the Christian Democratic Union and the AfD, while expressing caution regarding certain statements made by party figures during the campaign.
What is more, Strack-Zimmermann indicated that discussions about the party’s future direction would continue. She argued that German politics had shifted to the right and maintained that the FDP should eschew cooperation with political radicals of any orientation. While she described her working relationship with Kubicki as broadly constructive, her restrained response to his victory highlighted the underlying tensions revealed during the convention.
Party leaders subsequently sought to manage these divisions. Kubicki emphasized that the party’s primary responsibility was to regain voter support rather than dwell on internal disputes. He argued that vigorous internal debate was compatible with democratic liberalism, but that focus should remain on the broader objective of electoral success. Other senior figures, including Deputy Chairman Henning Höne and Executive Board Member Jens Teutrine, also appealed for unity, asserting that shared principles and values outweighed differences in style or strategy, and that the party’s future depended on cohesive action rather than publicized disagreement.
Audio: TTSFree
