FDP leader Wolfgang Kubicki outlines one‑year plan to revive party

Wolfgang Kubicki, 74, has become the new federal chairman of Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) and faces a difficult task of rescuing a party that now holds seats in only six of the 16 state parliaments. In an interview with the Münchner Merkur, he said he will give himself until May 2027 to restore the FDP to a "serious" political force, noting that if the party does not surpass the five‑percent electoral threshold by then, its future will be uncertain.

Kubicki launched the FDP’s eastern campaign in Saxony‑Anhalt ahead of a crucial state election this autumn, which he described as “a turning point”. He criticised recent coalition reforms, calling the tax‑reform package introduced by the governing coalition a “catastrophe for the country”, and warned that the new “wealth tax” would burden families and small businesses. He stressed the need for the FDP to regain relevance in national polls, where it currently sits at about four percent, and to re‑enter the Bundestag in the next federal election.

The interview also touched on Kubicki’s personal schedule, including three set golf appointments, underscoring the demanding nature of his unpaid party leadership role.