Wolfgang Kubicki Elected New FDP Leader in Contested Party Vote

A Party in Crisis

Outgoing chairman Christian Dürr had taken over the party leadership after the 2025 electoral defeat but faced mounting criticism over the party's continued low poll ratings. In his farewell remarks, Dürr took aim at the current chancellor, saying, "Nach nur einem Jahr schon unbeliebter zu sein als Olaf Scholz am Ende seiner Amtszeit, das muss man erst mal hinkriegen."

Kubicki, who joined the FDP in 1971, has held numerous political offices over his decades-long career. He served in the Bundestag from 1990 to 1992, briefly in late 2002, and again from 2017 to 2025, and was a member of the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament from 1992 to 2017.

He was the FDP's state chairman in Schleswig-Holstein from 1989 to 1993 and has been the party's deputy federal chairman since 2013. Kubicki is widely regarded as the most recognisable face of the liberal party.

Kubicki's Pledge to Revive the FDP

In his campaign for the chairmanship, Kubicki framed his candidacy as a mission to rescue the party from political irrelevance. "Nach 55 Jahren FDP-Mitgliedschaft muss man mir einfach nachsehen, dass ich nicht zusehen wollte, dass meine Partei zugrunde geht," he said ahead of the conference.

He has set himself the goal of stabilising the party, raising its public profile, and lifting it back above the five-percent threshold within a year. "Wie sollen die Leute sich denn für die FDP entscheiden, wenn sie uns gar nicht sehen oder gar nicht hören?" he said in an ARD interview.

Kubicki acknowledged that his age does not represent a fresh start for the party. "Ich bin nicht mehr die Zukunft der FDP, aber ich kann der FDP eine Zukunft geben," he said.

Strack-Zimmermann's candidacy was announced unexpectedly at the conference itself. She was nominated by 33 delegates, meeting the required quorum to appear on the ballot. The 68-year-old has built a reputation primarily through her work on defence policy.

Strack-Zimmermann's Surprise Challenge

In a speech lasting more than half an hour, Strack-Zimmermann appealed directly to party members who were considering leaving the FDP. "Wir brauchen euch alle, um die FDP wieder groß zu machen," she said, adding, "Eure Stimme wird gehört."

She argued that the party needed to become a force for shaping policy rather than merely commenting on it. "Wir müssen als FDP die Gestaltungspartei sein, nicht die Kommentierungspartei," Strack-Zimmermann said.

A central point of contention between the two candidates was the party's stance toward the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Strack-Zimmermann sharply criticised discussions about questioning the so-called "firewall" against the far-right party.

"Wir werden uns niemals an Rechtspopulisten anbiedern, nur weil sie die gleichen Gegner haben wie wir," she emphasised. She added, "Die beste Brandmauer gegen extremistisches Gedankengut ist ein liberaler Kompass."

The AfD Firewall Debate

Kubicki, for his part, sought to reassure delegates about his position. "Es wird nie eine Zusammenarbeit mit dieser Partei geben," he stated during the conference. He called on the FDP to show unity, saying, "Unser politischer Gegner steht außen und nicht innen."

The atmosphere during the candidate presentations was at times tense. When Strack-Zimmermann began her speech with a light-hearted remark — "Du hast recht, lieber Wolfgang, wir sind beide Schlachtrösser, aber es gibt einen Unterschied: Ich bin definitiv besser rasiert als Du" — some delegates responded with boos, prompting Kubicki to intervene: "Frau Strack-Zimmermann ist satzungsgemäß vorgeschlagen, hier wird nicht gebuht."

Following the leadership vote, delegates also elected three deputy chairs. Henning Höne received 71.0 percent, Svenja Hahn 71.5 percent, and Linda Teuteberg 66.4 percent of the votes.

New Leadership Team and Next Steps

In his first words as party chairman, Kubicki struck a conciliatory tone. "Ich will versuchen, mit euch allen der Herausforderung gerecht zu werden," he said.

The FDP currently polls below five percent in all three of Germany's most recent state election contexts. The party suffered significant defeats in Baden-Württemberg, where it received 4.4 percent, and in Rhineland-Palatinate, where it fell to 2.1 percent.

Political scientist Wilhelm Knelangen from Kiel noted that no one else in the FDP currently commands comparable public attention to Kubicki. However, he also cautioned about Kubicki's impulsive style: "Was Kubicki auch immer ausgezeichnet hat, ist, einfach mal in deutscher Sprache gesagt, 'einen raushauen'. Und das kann natürlich auch mal brutal nach hinten losgehen."

Christopher Vogt, the FDP's state chairman in Schleswig-Holstein, expressed optimism about the new leadership team. "Mit dem neuen starken Team an der Parteispitze wollen wir in den nächsten Monaten bundesweit Vertrauen zurückgewinnen," he said.