Kubicki announces a clear edge against the Greens

The FDP remains in the traffic lights. But after the member survey, Kubicki insists on enforcing liberal positions. Only: That hasn't helped so far.

Berlin – The FDP is struggling to find its government course: After the extremely narrow result in the member survey about remaining in the traffic light coalition, Wolfgang Kubicki is insisting on more visibility for his party in the three-party alliance. “That doesn’t mean we have to stop governing. “That just means that we as the FDP have to become better and more assertive in the coalition,” demanded the deputy party chairman Deutschlandfunk. We will no longer tolerate the Greens torpedoing important projects. But this still threatens the coalition with constant trouble and the question arises: Does this bring anything to the Liberals?

The traffic light coalition has been plummeting in the polls for months. Some members therefore questioned whether they would remain in the government alliance and started a member survey. The result published on Monday was extremely close. 52.24 percent voted to continue the traffic light government work. 47.76 percent wanted to end the alliance. However, only 26,058 of around 72,100 members took part in the survey.

According to the results of the member survey: Kubicki calls for a clear stance against the Greens

Kubicki was generally satisfied with the result of the members' decision. This is not a close result. Less than a fifth of the party members ultimately voted to leave the coalition. However, it is also clear that the FDP needs to become more recognizable. He therefore appealed to the coalition partners to make the country capable of reform.

With a view to drawing up the 2024 federal budget, which has not yet been passed, Kubicki therefore warned not to place undue burden on farmers. Agricultural diesel and vehicle tax need to be improved for farmers. The goal is also to reform the Climate Protection Act so that the overall balance is seen and not goals for individual sectors. With reference to the debt brake, Kubicki also insisted on compliance with the coalition agreement.

In doing so, he sought solidarity with the initiators of the members' vote. The Kassel FDP leader Matthias Nölke called the result a “clear warning shot”. He expects the party to “stand up more on its hind legs,” he said in an interview with the WDR and added: “The country is going in the wrong direction. And the FDP is helping a policy for which it was not elected gain a majority.”

Where is the FDP heading? Traffic light trouble has paid off little so far

But where exactly is the FDP heading now? The call for more differentiation in the traffic light coalition is anything but new. It has been heard again and again over the past year. The first time before the traditional Epiphany meeting in Stuttgart. For fear of a crash in the state elections in Berlin, Bremen, Bavaria and Hesse The top candidates had already called for a clear stance against climate ideologues and published a position paper. The party leadership willingly launched an uprising against the nuclear phase-out that had long been decided – but in vain. In the elections, the party struggled with the five percent hurdle and was partially thrown out of the state parliament.

Survey for Lindner depresses mood before the traditional Epiphany meeting

Now the Epiphany meeting is coming up again. The FDP traditionally meets in Stuttgart on January 6th to look ahead to the year and determine its course. Given the continued poor poll numbers, the party leadership will have to gradually deliver. The question is: Does the constant government wrangling actually help the Liberals move forward – or does it end up doing more harm. Finance Minister Christian Linder, who has so far been the unchallenged leader of the party, is suffering from a massive loss of image.