FDP
Gründung
1948
Vorgänger
numerous local and regional liberal parties after World War II
1948
Vorgänger
numerous local and regional liberal parties after World War II
Überblick
 | 1948 merger into the Federal FDP |
| 1971 a programmatical turn toward “social liberalism” (the so-called Freiburger Theses) takes place under Federal Chairman Walter Scheel |
| at the beginning of the 1980s, return to the center right spectrum and to economic liberalism |
| 1990 merger of the West German FDP and liberal parties of the former GDR. |
Struktur
The FDP participates as a coalition partner in all Federal administrations until October 1998, except for the years 1957-1961 and 1966-1969.
Number of party members: about 67,000 (2005)
Vorsitzende
| Theodor Heuss [1948/49] |
| Thomas Dehler [1954-1957] |
| Erich Mende [1960-1968] |
| Walter Scheel [1968-1974] |
| Hans-Dietrich Genscher [1974-1985] |
| Wolfgang Gerhard [] |
| Guido Westerwelle [since 2002] |