Wolfgang Kubicki, the FDP’s deputy chair, re‑affirmed his support for party chairman Christian Dürr after the Liberals’ setback in Rhineland‑Palatinate. He told the “Stern” on Monday that Dürr had been elected ten months ago for a two‑year term by a substantial majority and that he himself has no current ambitions for the top post. “I’m not ruling anything out at the moment” Kubicki said, adding, “I could fit many roles-from Federal President to a DAX‑CEO. But a leadership change is not imminent. Any new elections would need a fresh preparation”.
Despite the party’s two household names-Dürr himself and Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann-Kubicki cautioned that they cannot biologically represent the breakthrough the FDP needs for the next twenty years. “Our task is to strengthen other high‑profile figures so that they are visible in the public eye” he explained.
At 74, Kubicki also warned the Liberals about current ill‑fealty, remarking that “we are at a low point” and that the present situation is “worse than in 2013”.
When asked about his disappointment that former young talents Johannes Vogel and Konstantin Kuhle had stepped back into professional life, Kubicki said he understood their desire to make money. “It’s right that people first succeed in normal life before entering the Bundestag. Those who once aimed to shape the FDP at party congresses but now walk away entirely speak more about their own choices than about those who keep fighting”.