Hüskens counters Merz: "FDP is never dead" - FDP leader fires back at CDU chief after 'irrelevant' party jab
A sharp exchange has broken out between Saxony-Anhalt's FDP leader and the CDU's national chief over the party's future. Friedrich Merz declared the Free Democrats politically irrelevant after their poor showing in Baden-Württemberg's election. Lydia Hüskens, the FDP's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, fired back with a blunt message: focus on governing instead of writing off her party.
The dispute began when Merz claimed the FDP would 'no longer play any role' in German politics. His comments followed the party's failure to clear the 5% threshold in Baden-Württemberg's 2026 state election, where they won just 4.4%—down from 10.5% in 2021. While the FDP struggled in some regions, it managed to enter parliaments in others, such as Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia, though exact figures vary.
Hüskens rejected Merz's assessment outright. She told him to 'just do your job' rather than question the FDP's survival. In a defiant statement, she argued that as long as people value freedom, the party would endure. She also criticised stagnation in key areas like education and economic policy, positioning the FDP as the force pushing for change in Saxony-Anhalt. The clash comes ahead of the state's parliamentary election on 6 September. Currently, a coalition of CDU, SPD, and FDP governs the region, with the FDP holding influence despite national setbacks.
The FDP remains in government in Saxony-Anhalt, though its national standing has weakened. Hüskens' response underscores the party's determination to stay relevant, particularly in regional politics. With the state election approaching, her remarks signal a fight to retain the FDP's role in shaping policy.
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