The neoliberal Free Democratic Party played a decisive role in shaping politics in Germany. After a wipeout in the last federal election, the party is fighting for survival ahead of important state elections.
I know this might be a really unpopular statement for some. But I actually think a democratic (neo)liberal party like them in parliament is a lot better than having other populist parties like AfD or BSW. I believe they deserved what happened to them last election but our democracy is worse off if they fall out completely. All the restrictive proposals towards surveillance just show me that individual rights are quickly forgotten or brushed aside often in the name of “protecting children”
We very desperately need a liberal party in Germany. But the FDP definitely isn’t it. They’ve always been a party of redistribution from the poor to the rich. The talking points about freedom are just window dressing.
Last time the FDP was in the Bundestag, they were even part of the governing coalition (the most productive and for the most part most progressive and beneficial for the largest parts of the population Germany ever had) and the reason that coalition failed. And that was not even the first time the FDP blew it. The FDP has no place in our parliaments. They are neither better nor worse than AFD or BSW, they’re just bad in a different way.
I know this might be a really unpopular statement for some. But I actually think a democratic (neo)liberal party like them in parliament is a lot better than having other populist parties like AfD or BSW. I believe they deserved what happened to them last election but our democracy is worse off if they fall out completely. All the restrictive proposals towards surveillance just show me that individual rights are quickly forgotten or brushed aside often in the name of “protecting children”
We very desperately need a liberal party in Germany. But the FDP definitely isn’t it. They’ve always been a party of redistribution from the poor to the rich. The talking points about freedom are just window dressing.
This. If the choice was between redistribution to the rich and civil rights, they always chose redistribution.
Last time the FDP was in the Bundestag, they were even part of the governing coalition (the most productive and for the most part most progressive and beneficial for the largest parts of the population Germany ever had) and the reason that coalition failed. And that was not even the first time the FDP blew it. The FDP has no place in our parliaments. They are neither better nor worse than AFD or BSW, they’re just bad in a different way.