Dhe youth organization of the FDP has criticized the actions of the Free Democrats in the traffic light coalition and made demands for internal party reforms. At the federal congress of the young liberals (July), their federal chairwoman, Franziska Brandmann, who was re-elected with around 90 percent of the delegates’ votes, said that the FDP should “not act as a corrective in the coalition, it must be a creative force”. The Young Liberals called for this, said Brandmann on Saturday in Kassel.
The Saxon FDP state chairwoman Anita Maass also criticized the federal leadership of her party. Her political style often appears to be aloof from the reality of people’s lives and follows a “red-green ethic”. Political fringe issues are too often seen as political priorities. Maass said: “For us, the legalization of cannabis is less important than relieving the burden on the middle of society.”
“Female Mentoring Program” instead of women’s quota
The executive board of the Young Liberals submitted a comprehensive proposal to the delegates’ congress in Kassel to reform the work of the Free Democrats within the party. Among other things, it contained proposals for the future primary election of top candidates in European elections or in the Bundestag elections and for restricting the simultaneous exercise of offices and mandates. In the future, it should be possible to set up dual leadership in the presidency of party structures.
The Young Liberals are also calling for reforms to broaden and diversify the FDP’s membership base. In their corresponding reform proposal it says that currently “in particular women, people with a migration background, non-academic educational qualifications or low income are less frequently involved in the FDP than they are represented in society”. But the FDP can only “successfully recognize and incorporate all socially relevant interests, concerns and values in its party-political decision-making processes” with a membership base made up of diverse population groups.
Instead of a quota for the participation of women, which has long been debated in the FDP but has always been rejected, the Young Liberals now recommend, among other things, a “Female Mentoring Program”. This is intended to increase the proportion of women among the members and officials of the party.
Heated debate about Corona measures
The congress ended on Sunday with a heated debate about lifting all restrictions regarding the corona pandemic, such as the existing occupational vaccination requirements or the regulations for wearing masks on buses and trains, which ultimately found a majority of the delegates with restrictions. Brandmann said it was necessary “to bring back respect for liberal beliefs”.
The FDP federal chairman, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner, renewed the current political demands of the Free Democrats in front of the delegates of the party youth. Lindner announced the introduction of a pension based on share income in the coming year and again warned against attempts by the People’s Republic of China to influence the German economy.
Lindner said he was “uncomfortable” about the extent of the dependence of parts of the German economy on the Chinese market. In Germany, Chinese investors should only be allowed as much as, conversely, German investors are allowed in China. Lindner also advocated a renewed attempt to start talks with the United States on a free trade agreement.
