FDP

(1)

"As much government as necessary, as little government as possible," (2)

Overview

• Histroy
• major events
• current standing

History

• Theodor Heuss first chairman 1948
• Heuss was first president of federal republic of germany from 1949-1959
• free democratic party is a centrist german party that advocate individualism, captialism and social reform.
• It was established in December 1948 at a conference attended by delegates from liberal parties in American, British and French zone occupation.
• Formed from nine regionally organized parties: BDV, DemP, DP, DVP (Northern Württemberg-Baden), DVP (Southern Württemberg-Hohenzollern), FDP from the Brtitish Zone of Occupation and The Free State of Bavaria and the LDP from the State of Hesse and Berlin West.

Major events

• 1970 to 1990s Hans-Dietrich Genscher led the fdp as the forgein minister of germany
• During the 2002 elections, Juergen Moellemann published an anti-Semitic pamphlet and was forced to leave the FDP before commiting suicide in 2003.
• Guido Westerwelle 2009 best result in federal election and second-longest serving chairman
• 2009 party support collapses (dropped to as low as 5%)
• 2011 Guido Westerwelle stepped down after party was wiped out in select states.

Guido Westerwelle(3)

Phillipp Rosler(4)

Current Standing

• Guido had to step down from vice-chancelor in 2011 due to being unable to lower taxes as promised in 2009 election
• Phillipp Rosler succeeded Guido as chairman of FDP and vice-chancelor in May 2011
• "kingmaker"

Fun Facts

• Guido on Big Brother germany in early 2000s
• Guido first openly gay vice-chancelor and foreign minister

References

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FDP-Logo_2011.svg, 17 Sep 12
2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Democratic_Party_(Germany), 17 Sep 12
3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Guido_Westerwelle_(Foreign_ministry_in_Stockholm,_2010).jpg, 19 Sep 12
4.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Roesler-klein.jpg, 19 Sep 12