The Liberal Democrats in the German Federal Elections: A Party Fighting for Survival
The Free Democratic Party FDP, in great difficulty ahead of the early elections in 2025, is trying to recover after the collapse of the coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the Greens. Its wavering position between government and opposition has undermined its credibility, and it is struggling to surpass the 5% threshold.

Its program focuses on economic recovery, with tax cuts and a reduction in the role of the state. It has also toughened its stance on immigration to appeal to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), but its tacit cooperation with the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has sparked fierce controversy. Despite its ambition to establish itself as a key player, the FDP risks disappearing from the Bundestag, a victim of its lack of consistency and voter distrust.
Jeanette Süß is a researcher at the Study Committee on Franco-German (Cerfa) at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri), working in particular on the European Union and the Franco-German relations.
This publication is available in French (pdf): "Les libéraux-démocrates face aux élections fédérales allemandes : un parti en lutte pour sa survie"
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Notes du Cerfa, No. 183, Ifri, February 2025
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