Henning Höne, the co-chair of the FDP in North Rhine-Westphalia, is running for the federal chairmanship of the Free Democratic Party and has announced plans for his vision for the party’s leadership. Should he win the nomination, he intends to propose the Baden-Württemberg native, Alena Trauschel, for the role of General Secretary.
Commenting to Spiegel, Höne expressed enthusiasm that Trauschel, a young woman with significant parliamentary experience, wants to take on greater responsibility for the party. He emphasized that Trauschel “represents a fresh start” making her the ideal candidate for the position of General Secretary of the FDP.
Trauschel, who is 27 years old, was elected in 2021 as the youngest member of the Southwest Parliament since the state parliament’s founding. Höne’s bid for the party chairman will take place at the FDP federal party conference at the end of May, where he will face Wolfgang Kubicki. In contrast, should Kubicki secure the position, he plans to appoint Martin Hagen, a former Bavarian state and parliamentary group chair, as the party’s General Secretary.
The appeal of the proposed leadership reflects a broader strategic direction. Trauschel told Spiegel that given the political climate dominated by loud populist voices from both the left and the right, the Free Democrats must serve as a measured, reforming party focused on the entire nation, rather than engaging in internal group conflicts. She stated her belief that only the FDP is equipped to fulfill this crucial role. In addition to Trauschel, Höne also intends to nominate Susanne Seehofer, a Bavarian Liberal, and Svenja Hahn, the Hamburg MEP, for the party’s new executive board.