Wolfgang Kubicki standing confidently at an FDP podium with an empty chair symbolizing Henning Höne's withdrawal from candidacy.
Wolfgang Kubicki standing confidently at an FDP podium with an empty chair symbolizing Henning Höne's withdrawal from candidacy.
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Höne withdraws candidacy, Kubicki sole contender for FDP chair

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Henning Höne has withdrawn his bid for the FDP party chairmanship. Wolfgang Kubicki is now the sole candidate for the post, which is due to be filled at the end of May.

North Rhine-Westphalia FDP chairman Henning Höne will no longer run against Wolfgang Kubicki. Instead he plans to stand as Kubicki’s first deputy. An FDP North Rhine-Westphalia spokesperson confirmed the report on Friday.

Höne explained the move by saying party members had called for a joint leadership solution. Kubicki had announced he would withdraw completely from the leadership in case of defeat.

Kubicki told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: “Back then the team was called Lindner-Kubicki, now it is called Kubicki-Höne.” The 39-year-old Höne also currently leads the FDP parliamentary group in the Düsseldorf state parliament.

The agreement avoids an open power struggle at the party conference at the end of May.

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Reactions on X to Höne withdrawing his FDP chair bid, leaving Kubicki as sole candidate, include approval for preventing internal division and calls for unity, alongside criticism of avoiding competitive debate and concerns over party renewal.

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