He is by no means a newcomer to the political arena. But with the preliminary talks on a new government coalition, Volker Wissing is moving into the public eye. Who is the FDP man on the left on the much discussed political selfie?
It would not have been missing much and the representatives of the two favorite parties of first-time and young voters would have actually shown themselves to be equal on the much-noticed selfie after their first exploratory meeting: Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock for the Greens, as usual, and for the FDP Christian Lindner and Linda Teuteberg. But the member of the Bundestag from Brandenburg was not the kind of general secretary that Lindner imagined, and so the FDP sole ruler served the now 40-year-old lawyer unceremoniously after only about one and a half years in office. Teuteberg’s successor as Secretary General was the very man who is on the far left of the selfie that has already become famous, but who is not only attracting increasing public attention for this reason: Volker Wissing.
As crude as Lindner’s step was at the time, the development afterwards evidently proves the FDP boss to be right. A year ago, the liberals feared that they would be thrown out of the Bundestag again in this general election. Now they are practically certain of participating in the next federal government. Mission accomplished, you could say, because that was exactly the aim of the reorganization of the FDP leadership in August last year. At that time, Lindner wanted to “put economic and financial competence forward”, in other words: the strengths of the FDP should be emphasized more, the potential electorate should be addressed directly. Wissing is likely to have been the decisive person. After all, the 51-year-old gave up the post of Minister of Economics and Vice-Prime Minister in Rhineland-Palatinate for the post of FDP General Secretary – with an ambitious goal that Wissing briskly formulated immediately after his confirmation. It is about “assuming government responsibility in Berlin”.
Volker Wissing knows and can “traffic light”
This goal is now really within reach – and the lawyer with his own law firm is right in the middle of it all. This may come as a surprise to many in public, but the married father of a daughter is by no means a newcomer to the political arena. Not even in Berlin. In January 2004 he became a member of the Bundestag as a successor. Via the post of FDP chairman in the finance committee, he became chairman of the important body in 2009 as the financial policy spokesman for his parliamentary group. His career in Berlin was suddenly interrupted by the fact that the FDP was kicked out of the Bundestag four years later. But he used this to make it to high government offices in his native Rhineland-Palatinate. The decision to give in to Christian Lindner’s recruitment “not entirely without melancholy” and to become FDP General Secretary has now brought him back to Berlin – to the Bundestag and, who knows, possibly even to a federal ministerial office.
In any case, the man is the best cast for the upcoming coalition negotiations. Because in these days Wissing makes no secret of the fact that, like most liberals, he is closer to the Union than the SPD, ie would prefer “Jamaica”. At the same time, the 51-year-old has already proven that he can “traffic lights”. Wissing was economics minister and vice-prime minister in the second cabinet of Malu Dreyer (SPD), who knew how to lead an alliance of the SPD, FDP and the Greens in Rhineland-Palatinate in such a stable manner that she renewed it after the state elections last May Has. As can be heard, Dreyer from the SPD side is also said to be involved in upcoming coalition negotiations – which would bring Wissing and Dreyer back together. A constellation that should nourish hopes for a “traffic light” in the federal government.
Paragraphs and numbers are not the only purpose in life
“It is the special awareness of the value of freedom that distinguishes the Free Democrats. The task of the FDP is to fill the political concept of freedom with life.” This is the political credo that Wissing emphasizes on his homepage. The way in which the Secretary General and his party want to bring their concept of freedom to life in the coming government is the subject of ongoing explorations and negotiations.
In his public appearances, Wissing seems to be committed to the role of business politician – always correctly dressed in a suit, tie and collar, he praises the market economy with a serious face. He certainly serves a large part of his own clientele. In the explorations and possible coalition negotiations, he will have an important say in the sensitive issues of taxes and finances. But: “Paragraphs and numbers do not sound very exciting as a matter of life, there must be more,” Wissing said on his homepage. He is committed to the Palatinate way of life, knows how to appreciate a good wine and also knows something about the cultivation and expansion of a good drop, likes to cook and bake himself and “neither is bad,” as he says, and he played in as an organist at times Church services.
“In the end it has to fit”
“It is not always easy to define what freedom means in different contexts”, Wissing takes up his political credo again elsewhere on his homepage. It is now necessary to clarify what his and how liberal policies could look like in the context of the new government. The fact that the FDP man from Rhineland-Palatinate did not officially dress the Greens in the evening preliminary talk, but rather casually met with an unbuttoned shirt collar and a loose jacket, as can be seen in the selfie, may not only have been a question of clothing, but also a sign of openness . After all, not only the Greens preach, but also the FDP and its boss Lindner that the new government must stand for new beginnings and renewal. But whether “Jamaica” or “traffic light”, one thing remains irrevocable, according to Wissing: “In the end it has to fit together.”
Sources:,,, DPA News Agency
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
