The FDP was kicked out of the Lower Saxony state parliament for casting 40,000 votes to the AfD. In nationwide polls, it has been weakening for months. Guest author Rainer Zitelmann, a member of the FDP for 28 years, says what the liberals should do now.
The Lower Saxony elections are the yellow card for the FDP. Christian Lindner correctly analyzed the reasons for the defeat: The FDP is perceived as too left. Seven points that need to change if the party wants to be successful again:
1. Compromises: Yes, in a coalition you have to make compromises. But topics like “annual choice of gender” do not move anyone to vote for the FDP, but offend many. The FDP has made the mistake of boasting about issues that its voters don’t like.
2. Intellectual freedom: The FDP has neglected fundamentally liberal issues, e.g. the issue of intellectual freedom. Polls show that many Germans no longer dare to speak their mind. Wolfgang Kubicki has written a great book about it, but the FDP has left this topic – for fear of the left-green mainstream.
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3. Migration: The FDP voters know that we need skilled workers. And of course it was right to accept refugees from Ukraine. But the FDP voters are strictly against asylum abuse and immigration into the social systems.
SPD and Greens represent exactly the opposite position of the FDP voters. The topic will soon become explosive again, some are warning of a new 2015. The FDP must remain firm on this topic – they know that the majority of Germans are on their side.
4. Nuclear power: Years ago I recommended that my party support nuclear power. Fearing the mainstream left-green, she didn’t do it, although privately many Liberals admitted the exit was a mistake.
Only after the majority of voters were in favor of nuclear energy and the current problems became urgent did the FDP partially change sides. It would have been more credible if she had done it years ago.
And now the following applies: It’s not about letting the nuclear power plants run a few months longer, but for many years. And to keep the way open for the construction of new nuclear power plants. Here, too, the FDP now knows that the majority of voters are on their side and should therefore make this issue – like immigration – a coalition issue.
5. Gendergaga: The gender ideology gets on the nerves of many people. The FDP is (apart from the AfD) the only party without a women’s quota. It has to stay that way. She has to distance herself from the equality rhetoric, which has nothing to do with a liberal image of humanity.
You need someone who represents that credibly: Unfortunately, Kristina Schröder is in the CDU. The FDP should win her over and make her General Secretary.
6. Rule of law: The FDP must work more consistently for the rule of law. The election in Berlin did not correspond to democratic principles. It must be repeated in its entirety, not just in individual districts.
The FDP has placed its own electoral considerations and considerations towards the SPD and the Greens above the principles of the rule of law. She must revise this position immediately: new elections throughout Berlin – for the state and the federal government.
7. Courage: Above all, the FDP needs courage. It must not be based on the commentators on ARD and ZDF, but on classic liberal principles and on its voters. That, and not the benevolence of left-wing media, must be the point of reference for the party.
Headwinds from ARD and ZDF and other left-wing media, as well as shrill indignation from Kevin Kühnert and Ricarda Lang would be a sure sign that the liberals are on the right track. If the FDP takes all this to heart, it has a chance.
But it will only work if she does it out of inner conviction and breaks with everything that a Gerhart Baum, for example, stands for.
In addition to Christian Lindner, she needs personalities in her leadership who stand for exactly these seven points. She has such politicians – for example Oliver Luksic or Frank Schäffler, maybe others.
Rainer Zitelmann has a doctorate in history, sociology and has been a member of the FDP for 28 years. He is also the author of the book “Psychology of the Super-Rich”.
