Wolfgang Kubicki announces bid for FDP chair as Dürr steps aside
The long-serving vice president will seek the party's top job at a May congress as the FDP struggles in polls and state parliaments. The contest matters for the party's survival ahead of three state elections in September and could settle whether the FDP pursues an experienced, combative reset or a generational reboot.
Apr 5, 2026, 9:42 AM EDT
Why it matters:
- The FDP is choosing new leadership at a May party congress while sitting near historic lows in support; the result will shape strategy before state votes in September.
- The contest pits a veteran, high-profile figure against younger challengers — a decision that could determine whether the party tries a combative comeback or a generational renewal.
Driving the news:
- Wolfgang Kubicki announced he will run for federal chair at the FDP party congress in May, reversing an earlier intention to step back from frontline politics. - Incumbent Christian Dürr has withdrawn from the race and said he will not stand again, offering his support to Kubicki. - Henning Höne, the North Rhine–Westphalia party and parliamentary leader, confirmed he will also run, making a contested leadership vote likely.
Key players:
- Wolfgang Kubicki, 74, is a long-time FDP vice-chair and outspoken figure who says he wants the party to "lead political debates" again; he has a record of sharp criticism of the Greens and of the coalition era. - Christian Dürr, 48, had planned to seek another term in March but stepped back to present a united front and to support a change in leadership quickly. - Henning Höne, 39, positions himself as a restart candidate; prominent voices in the party have called for generational renewal and criticized a return to veteran leadership.
By the numbers:
- The FDP now holds seats in only 6 of 16 state parliaments and is in government in just one state, Saxony‑Anhalt. - Nationwide polling puts the party around roughly 3% support, well below the 5% threshold needed to enter Bundestag-level representation. - In the recent federal vote the FDP won 4.3% — a reminder of how far the party has fallen from earlier levels.
What's next:
- Delegates will decide the leadership at the May party congress; expect a head-to-head campaign between Kubicki and Höne in the coming weeks. - The new chair's strategy will be tested in September state elections in Saxony‑Anhalt, Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania and Berlin; those results will be an early gauge of any recovery.
The bottom line:
- The FDP's May leadership vote is a make-or-break moment: it will choose between a veteran reconstructor in Kubicki or a younger reset that aims to stop the party's collapse before September's state elections.