New FDP General Secretary Nicole Büttner acknowledges the party’s women’s issue, stating, “I believe we have a women’s theme, quite clearly.” In an interview with the Funke-Mediengruppe’s podcast “Meine schwerste Entscheidung”, she noted that the party has not adequately addressed the potential of its female members and voters.
Büttner pointed out that if the FDP had an equal number of female and male elected representatives, “we would still be in the German Bundestag.” She praised the 50 percent female representation in the party’s leadership, but expressed a desire for greater awareness of the issue in the past, saying, “it’s also a matter of priority, how important is the theme to someone or not.”
The new general secretary emphasized her focus on broadening the party’s personnel and thematic scope, stating, “we have been perceived very narrowly in public perception, on fiscal policy, on tax policy, on the debt brake.” She emphasized the need to consider the needs of young families, the housing shortage and the feasibility of upward social mobility.
Regarding the party’s positioning in the political spectrum, Büttner stated that the classical left-right spectrum is reaching its limits. While she distanced herself from the AfD, calling it “poison for our country” she did not regret the collapse of the grand coalition, citing a lack of decision-making capability. “I felt from the outside that in this coalition, decisions were no longer being taken” she said. “I felt it was standing still.” This, she believed, is “not a good state for a government.