Christian Lindner: FDP leader does not want to take parental leave

A lot is changing for FDP leader Christian Lindner (45): just three days after the traffic lights went out, the politician and his wife Franca Lehfeldt (35) announced that they would be parents for the first time in a few months. However, going on parental leave is apparently out of the question for the former Federal Finance Minister: “That’s not part of my job,” he explained in an interview with the magazine “Bunte”. “But I’ll take some space.”

At the same time, the 45-year-old emphasized that he and his wife wanted to “establish themselves as equals as a family.” It is “not the plan” for Lehfeldt to have to give up her career. “I’m incredibly proud of my wife for taking a risk from a secure job to start a company,” said Lindner. The 35-year-old quit her job at the news channel “Welt TV” in October 2023 and founded a consulting agency.

The child’s financial security is already planned for the long term: “I plan to take out an ETF savings plan into which something will be paid in monthly by the parents or grandparents,” explains Lindner. “Financing training or studying is a big task for families. This effort becomes a little smaller if you spread it out over a longer period of time.”

The anticipation of the first child also distracts Lindner from all the professional hassle: “Family is the most important thing and has priority. It builds up your mental health,” said the politician. The moment he found out his wife was pregnant was “unforgettable.”

Christian Lindner and Franca Lehfeldt announced on November 30th that they are expecting offspring for the first time in spring 2025. The two have been a couple since 2018 and married on Sylt in July 2022.