Free Democratic Party (Germany)

Free Democratic Party

Freie Demokratische Partei
Free Democratic Party Freie Demokratische Partei
Abbreviation	FDP
Chairman	Christian Lindner
General Secretary	Bijan Djir-Sarai
Parliamentary leader	Christian Dürr
Founded	12 December 1948; 75 years ago
Merger of	Democratic Party of Germany; Democratic People's Party;
Headquarters	Hans-Dietrich-Genscher-Haus; Reinhardtstraße 14; 10117 Berlin
Newspaper	fdplus
Youth wing	Young Liberals
Women's wing	Liberal Women
LGBT wing	Liberal Gay, Lesbians, Bi, Trans and Queer
University wing	Federal Associations of Liberal College Groups
Foundation	Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Membership (November 2024)	70,000
Ideology	Liberalism (German)
Political position	Centre-right
European affiliation	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
European Parliament group	Renew Europe
International affiliation	Liberal International
Colours	Yellow; Pink; Cyan;
Bundestag	91 / 735
Bundesrat	2 / 69
State Parliaments	67 / 1,894
European Parliament	5 / 96
Party flag
Website
	www.fdp.de
	Politics of Germany; Political parties; Elections;

The Free Democratic Party (German: Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP, German pronunciation: [ɛfdeːˈpeː] ^ⓘ) is a liberal^[3]^[4] political party in Germany.

The FDP was founded in 1948 by members of former liberal political parties which existed in Germany before World War II, namely the German Democratic Party and the German People's Party. For most of the second half of the 20th century, particularly from 1961 to 1982, the FDP held the balance of power in the Bundestag.^[5] It has been a junior coalition partner to both the CDU/CSU (1949–1956, 1961–1966, 1982–1998 and 2009–2013) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) (1969–1982, 2021–present). In the 2013 federal election, the FDP failed to win any directly elected seats in the Bundestag and came up short of the 5 percent threshold to qualify for list representation, being left without representation in the Bundestag for the first time in its history.^[6] In the 2017 federal election, the FDP regained its representation in the Bundestag, receiving 10.6% of the vote. After the 2021 federal election the FDP became part of governing Scholz cabinet in coalition with the Social Democratic Party and the Greens.

Since the 1980s, the party, consistently with its ordoliberal tradition, has pushed economic liberalism and has aligned itself closely to the promotion of free markets and privatization, and is aligned to the centre^[7]^[8] or centre-right^[9] of the political spectrum. The FDP is a member of the Liberal International, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and Renew Europe.

^ welt.de (November 2024). ""Neuer Rekord" – Grüne freuen sich über viele neue Mitglieder - WELT". Welt (in German).
^ "Freie Demokratische Partei. Gestaltungsfreiheiten".
^ Cite error: The named reference Marks was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Breukers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Mark N. Franklin; Thomas T. Mackie; Henry Valen (2009). Electoral Change: Responses to Evolving Social and Attitudinal Structures in Western Countries. ECPR Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-955-82031-1.
^ "Ergebnisse der FDP bei den jeweils letzten Landtagswahlen in den Bundesländern bis 2021". Statista.
^ Pollach, Günter; Wischermann, Jörg; Zeuner, Bodo, eds. (2000). Ein nachhaltig anderes Parteiensystem: Profile und Beziehungen von Parteien in ostdeutschen Kommunen – Ergebnisse einer Befragung von Kommunalpolitikern. Lesker + Budrich. p. 116. ISBN 978-3-322-93227-3.
^ "Free Democratic Party (FDP)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
^
- Hornsteiner, Margret; Saalfeld, Thomas (2014). "Parties and the Party System". In Padgett, Stephen; Paterson, William E.; Zohlnhöfer, Reimut (eds.). Developments in German Politics 4. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-137-30164-2.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
- Stefuriuc, Irina (2013). Government Formation in Multi-Level Settings: Party Strategy and Institutional Constraints. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-137-30074-4.
- Boswell, Christina; Hough, Dan (2013). "Politicizing Migration: opportunity or liability for the centre-right in Germany?". In Bale, Tim (ed.). Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe: Why Politics and the Centre-Right Matter. Routledge. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-317-96827-6.
- Hertner, Isabelle; Sloam, James (2014). "The Europeanisation of the German party system". In Külahci, Erol (ed.). Europeanisation and Party Politics: How the EU affects Domestic Actors, Patterns and Systems. ECPR Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-907301-84-1.
- Stephen Padgett (1989). "The Party System". In Gordon Smith; William E. Paterson; Peter H. Merki (eds.). Developments in West German Politics. Springer. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-349-20346-8.
- Ugesh A. Joseph (2016). The 'Made in Germany' Champion Brands: Nation Branding, Innovation and World Export Leadership. Routledge. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-317-02503-0.
- David F. Patton (2023). "The Free Democratic Party and the 2021 Federal Election: The Road Back to Power". In Ross Campbell; Louise K. Davidson-Schmich (eds.). The 2021 German Federal Election. Springer Nature. p. 134. ISBN 978-3-03138-930-6.
- Rudy B. Andeweg (2011). "The consequence of representatives' role orientations: attitudes, behaviour, perspections". In Magnus Blomgren; Olivier Rozenberg (eds.). Parliamentary Roles in Modern Legislatures. Routledge/ECPR. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-415-57568-3.
- Amanda Bittner (2011). Platform Or Personality?: The Role of Party Leaders in Elections. Oxford University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-19-959536-5.
- Shawn Donnelly (2004). Reshaping Economic and Monetary Union: Membership Rules and Budget Policies in Germany, France and Spain. Manchester University Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-719-06850-8.

[1] welt.de (November 2024). ""Neuer Rekord" – Grüne freuen sich über viele neue Mitglieder - WELT". Welt (in German).

[2] "Freie Demokratische Partei. Gestaltungsfreiheiten".

[Marks-3] Cite error: The named reference Marks was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Breukers-4] Cite error: The named reference Breukers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Franklin2009-5] Mark N. Franklin; Thomas T. Mackie; Henry Valen (2009). Electoral Change: Responses to Evolving Social and Attitudinal Structures in Western Countries. ECPR Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-955-82031-1.

[6] "Ergebnisse der FDP bei den jeweils letzten Landtagswahlen in den Bundesländern bis 2021". Statista.

[7] Pollach, Günter; Wischermann, Jörg; Zeuner, Bodo, eds. (2000). Ein nachhaltig anderes Parteiensystem: Profile und Beziehungen von Parteien in ostdeutschen Kommunen – Ergebnisse einer Befragung von Kommunalpolitikern. Lesker + Budrich. p. 116. ISBN 978-3-322-93227-3.

[8] "Free Democratic Party (FDP)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 June 2017.

[9] 
Hornsteiner, Margret; Saalfeld, Thomas (2014). "Parties and the Party System". In Padgett, Stephen; Paterson, William E.; Zohlnhöfer, Reimut (eds.). Developments in German Politics 4. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-137-30164-2.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
Stefuriuc, Irina (2013). Government Formation in Multi-Level Settings: Party Strategy and Institutional Constraints. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-137-30074-4.
Boswell, Christina; Hough, Dan (2013). "Politicizing Migration: opportunity or liability for the centre-right in Germany?". In Bale, Tim (ed.). Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe: Why Politics and the Centre-Right Matter. Routledge. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-317-96827-6.
Hertner, Isabelle; Sloam, James (2014). "The Europeanisation of the German party system". In Külahci, Erol (ed.). Europeanisation and Party Politics: How the EU affects Domestic Actors, Patterns and Systems. ECPR Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-907301-84-1.
Stephen Padgett (1989). "The Party System". In Gordon Smith; William E. Paterson; Peter H. Merki (eds.). Developments in West German Politics. Springer. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-349-20346-8.
Ugesh A. Joseph (2016). The 'Made in Germany' Champion Brands: Nation Branding, Innovation and World Export Leadership. Routledge. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-317-02503-0.
David F. Patton (2023). "The Free Democratic Party and the 2021 Federal Election: The Road Back to Power". In Ross Campbell; Louise K. Davidson-Schmich (eds.). The 2021 German Federal Election. Springer Nature. p. 134. ISBN 978-3-03138-930-6.
Rudy B. Andeweg (2011). "The consequence of representatives' role orientations: attitudes, behaviour, perspections". In Magnus Blomgren; Olivier Rozenberg (eds.). Parliamentary Roles in Modern Legislatures. Routledge/ECPR. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-415-57568-3.
Amanda Bittner (2011). Platform Or Personality?: The Role of Party Leaders in Elections. Oxford University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-19-959536-5.
Shawn Donnelly (2004). Reshaping Economic and Monetary Union: Membership Rules and Budget Policies in Germany, France and Spain. Manchester University Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-719-06850-8.

[10] Hornsteiner, Margret; Saalfeld, Thomas (2014). "Parties and the Party System". In Padgett, Stephen; Paterson, William E.; Zohlnhöfer, Reimut (eds.). Developments in German Politics 4. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-137-30164-2.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[11] Stefuriuc, Irina (2013). Government Formation in Multi-Level Settings: Party Strategy and Institutional Constraints. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-137-30074-4.

[12] Boswell, Christina; Hough, Dan (2013). "Politicizing Migration: opportunity or liability for the centre-right in Germany?". In Bale, Tim (ed.). Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe: Why Politics and the Centre-Right Matter. Routledge. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-317-96827-6.

[13] Hertner, Isabelle; Sloam, James (2014). "The Europeanisation of the German party system". In Külahci, Erol (ed.). Europeanisation and Party Politics: How the EU affects Domestic Actors, Patterns and Systems. ECPR Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-907301-84-1.

[14] Stephen Padgett (1989). "The Party System". In Gordon Smith; William E. Paterson; Peter H. Merki (eds.). Developments in West German Politics. Springer. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-349-20346-8.

[15] Ugesh A. Joseph (2016). The 'Made in Germany' Champion Brands: Nation Branding, Innovation and World Export Leadership. Routledge. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-317-02503-0.

[16] David F. Patton (2023). "The Free Democratic Party and the 2021 Federal Election: The Road Back to Power". In Ross Campbell; Louise K. Davidson-Schmich (eds.). The 2021 German Federal Election. Springer Nature. p. 134. ISBN 978-3-03138-930-6.

[17] Rudy B. Andeweg (2011). "The consequence of representatives' role orientations: attitudes, behaviour, perspections". In Magnus Blomgren; Olivier Rozenberg (eds.). Parliamentary Roles in Modern Legislatures. Routledge/ECPR. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-415-57568-3.

[18] Amanda Bittner (2011). Platform Or Personality?: The Role of Party Leaders in Elections. Oxford University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-19-959536-5.

[19] Shawn Donnelly (2004). Reshaping Economic and Monetary Union: Membership Rules and Budget Policies in Germany, France and Spain. Manchester University Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-719-06850-8.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]