FDP

 

The Free Democratic Party (FDP) defines itself as a Liberal party. When in doubt, it puts freedom before security, the market before the state and the individual before community. The current party programme bears the title “Responsibility for Freedom”. On several occasions and over many years, the FDP has assumed government responsibility as the junior partner in coalitions with the CDU and with the SPD. It has governed in coalition with the CDU since 2009. As a result, it has been in government longer than any other German party. The FDP considers itself a European party. It actively supports a politically integrated European Union and a common foreign and security policy.

FDP Parliamentary Party Chair, 2009–2011 Federal Economics Minister

 

Born in 1945, the economist and convinced free-market liberal was Economics Minister in Rhineland-Palatinate for 11 years. In January 2013, Philipp Rösler, the FDP party leader, offered his party rival Brüderle the chance to become not only the party’s top candidate in the Bundes­tag elections, but also party leader. However, Brüderle declined the latter.