FDP federal party leader Christian Lindner defended Germany’s military and financial support for Ukraine amid loud protests in Düsseldorf. On Saturday, Lindner countered a few dozen troublemakers who called out “warmongers” and “liars” to the Federal Minister of Finance on Saturday: “If you think you can upset me, you were wrong.” At the official campaign finale of his party, he had to he nevertheless raised his voice badly.
The special situation after the Russian war of aggression brought about a turning point and required new debts in Germany, emphasized Lindner. The 100 billion euro special fund is needed “to stop the Bundeswehr’s 16 years of neglect.”
“You have to be able to fight so that you don’t have to fight,” was the motto, the Federal Minister of Finance exclaimed one day before the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia. “This does not mean a militarization of German foreign policy.” Germany stands by Ukraine, which also defends European values of freedom.
Addressing the small group of troublemakers, Lindner called out to great applause from the audience: “The brave Ukrainians even defend the freedom of those who trample on them.”
The FDP is currently forming a coalition with the CDU in the most populous federal state. Recent polls see the FDP mostly at seven to eight percent, for a new edition of a black and yellow government in NRW it would not be enough. In the 2017 state election, the FDP won 12.6 percent.
In polls, the black-yellow coalition that has been in office for five years no longer has a majority. Until 2017, a red-green coalition was in power in NRW. The outcome of the state elections and possible future coalitions are considered completely open.
Last Sunday, the CDU with Prime Minister Daniel Günther clearly won the election in Schleswig-Holstein. Previously, the SPD with Anke Rehlinger had won the state election in Saarland.
