Germany after the election: “No funeral” – FDP parliamentary group meets according to election bankruptcy

It looked as always: TV cameras were set up, journalists waited, the lectern stood in front of the yellow wall with the inscription “Group in the Bundestag FDP”. But the announcement of an employee “No statement, no pictures in the faction hall” quickly made it clear: nothing is like it before. The FDP parliamentary group, when the election on Sunday and 2013, flew up from the Bundestag, met for her last meeting.

“It is not a funeral mood. I was also there in 2013, so it is not a funeral, but it will go on with the FDP,” said former FDP general secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai. “After 35 years of parliamentary affiliation, that is over, that is a very painful impression,” said Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki.

FDP hopes for return in four years

Group leader Christian Dürr, who would otherwise like to spoke elongated statements in the microphones before the parliamentary group meetings, took the opportunity that the journalists were talking to Kubicki to scurry into the parliamentary group without a word. Party chief Christian Lindner did not even appear at the session.

Inside in the hall, the liberal courage spent themselves with a sign “Mission Tomorrow”, which was attached to a back of the chair and should probably say: We are working on the next Bundestag election. Or as Djir-Sarai said: “It’s now how it is. But the FDP is strong and the FDP will continue.” Today the project begins to return to the Bundestag, emphasized parliamentary group leader Dürr after the three -hour meeting. “It will be a tough way, no question. But we are a party that has confidence in the DNA.”

Nobody knows today whether this confidence becomes true or whether it is deceptive. Many citizens do not give the FDP a future, as an INSA survey for the “T-Online” portal shows. Only 26 percent of the respondents considered a recovery of the liberals as likely, 51 percent but did not believe in a political comeback.

Dietary deputy will receive diets

The political career suddenly ends for the 90 FDP MPs. After all, they fall relatively soft at first – especially if they had been sitting in the Bundestag for a long time. According to paragraph 18, you will receive a transitional allowance. Membership in parliament will continue to flow a month a month – for up to 18 months.

Group leader Dürr, for example, came to the Bundestag in 2017. He has now paid his MPs of EUR 11,227.20 for seven months. A newcomer like the deputy Valentin Abel, who first moved into the Bundestag in 2021, will receive this transitional fee for three months.

Employees do not fall so softly

The employees of the MPs and the parliamentary group are far from doing so well – their contracts will expire in the next few weeks. You now have to look for new jobs, which will sooner or later also come to MPs.

Some will probably withdraw completely from paid politics. The domestic politician Konstantin Kuhle told the ARD “Morgenmagazin” that he would now return to his profession as a lawyer. “To what extent on a voluntary political engagement on a voluntary basis, the next few weeks and months will show.”

With the mandate, many amenities for the departing MPs – from the BahnCard 100 via a fully equipped office and employees until the Bundestag can be used at any time. He will now have to learn again to keep his calendar himself, said Kubicki and said: “Tonight I woke up and thought: My god, you have to drive a car now.”