Germany’s free-market FDP to rule out another coalition with Greens

Germany’s pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) is set to rule out participating in a government coalition with the Greens after elections on February 23.

The two parties were uneasy partners in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition, which collapsed in November.

The free-market FDP’s leadership is expected to agree on Saturday to an election appeal explicitly rejecting another partnership with the Greens.

Delegates to a special party conference are to confirm the measure on Sunday.

A draft FDP appeal seen by dpa accuses the Greens of having “blocked or delayed many necessary measures for more growth, for order in migration and for more trust in personal responsibility instead of paternalism.”

The FDP, led by former finance minister Christian Lindner, is fighting to achieve the 5% threshold usually needed to enter Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.

The party is hoping to govern with the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc but it is currently hovering on around 4% of the polls.

The party sees the vote on February 23 as a “directional decision.”

“If the next legislative period does not lead to an economic upturn, order in migration and a more efficient state, then more people will turn to the margins in 2029,” the appeal warns. “If liberal democracy fails to deliver, more people could look for an alternative to democracy, as in our neighbouring countries.”

Germany’s pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) is set to rule out participating in a government coalition with the Greens after elections on February 23.

The two parties were uneasy partners in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition, which collapsed in November.

The free-market FDP’s leadership is expected to agree on Saturday to an election appeal explicitly rejecting another partnership with the Greens.

Delegates to a special party conference are to confirm the measure on Sunday.

A draft FDP appeal seen by dpa accuses the Greens of having “blocked or delayed many necessary measures for more growth, for order in migration and for more trust in personal responsibility instead of paternalism.”

The FDP, led by former finance minister Christian Lindner, is fighting to achieve the 5% threshold usually needed to enter Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.

The party is hoping to govern with the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc but it is currently hovering on around 4% of the polls.

The party sees the vote on February 23 as a “directional decision.”

“If the next legislative period does not lead to an economic upturn, order in migration and a more efficient state, then more people will turn to the margins in 2029,” the appeal warns. “If liberal democracy fails to deliver, more people could look for an alternative to democracy, as in our neighbouring countries.”