The FDP's federal executive board, led by party leader Christian Dürr, has announced its resignation. The reason is the party's poor performance in recent state elections in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. Dürr, however, intends to run for chairman again.
Following the FDP's failure to enter the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament, the federal executive board led by chairman Christian Dürr has announced its collective resignation. In Sunday's state election in Rhineland-Palatinate, the party missed the five-percent hurdle, as it had previously in Baden-Württemberg. Last year, the FDP was also ousted from the Bundestag after being part of the traffic-light coalition. The party congress in May will elect a new presidium and executive board to provide 'new legitimacy' and 'clear course determination', as Dürr stated after deliberations by the bodies. 'We need new legitimacy at the upcoming federal party congress. This is the consequence of two lost state elections', he said. Dürr, elected chairman only last May succeeding Christian Lindner, plans to run again. General Secretary Nicole Büttner also intends to stand for re-election. 'The FDP faces existential challenges, and for that the party leadership needs clear and new legitimacy', she emphasized. Rhineland-Palatinate top candidate Daniela Schmitt, however, is stepping down as state chair and takes responsibility for the election result. According to Spiegel, MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has offered to candidate as part of a dual leadership, to be discussed at the congress.
