The Chairman of the Free Democratic Party () is the most senior and leading political figure within the Free Democratic Party (FDP), a centre-right and liberal political party in Germany with parliamentary representation. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) is, historically, also one of the most significant political parties in Germany. From 6 December 2013 to 23 February 2025, the office was held by Christian Lindner, who succeeded Philipp Rösler.
The Leader of the Free Democratic Party is supported by a General Secretary who, from December 2024 to February 2025, was Marco Buschmann.
List
Chairmen of the Free Democratic Party
PortraitName(Born–Died)Term of officeFactionStateChancellorTook officeLeft officeDays 1 Theodor Heuss 12 December 1948 12 September 1949 Social liberal factionHertfelder, Thomas (2013). Von Naumann zu Heuss: über eine Tradition des sozialen Liberalismus in Deutschland. Kleine Reihe / Stiftung Bundespräsident-Theodor-Heuss-Haus. Stuttgart: Stiftung Bundespräsident-Theodor-Heuss-Haus. ISBN 978-3-942302-03-6. NoneKonrad Adenauer 2 Franz Blücher 12 September 1949 6 March 1954 None Konrad Adenauer 3 Thomas Dehler 6 March 1954 26 January 1957 Determined liberal faction Konrad Adenauer 4 Reinhold Maier 26 January 1957 28 January 1960 Determined liberal faction Konrad Adenauer 5 Erich Mende 28 January 1960 30 January 1968 National liberal faction Konrad AdenauerLudwig ErhardKurt Georg Kiesinger 6 Walter Scheel 30 January 1968 1 October 1974 Social liberal and eco-liberal factionPeter H. Merkl (1989). The Federal Republic of Germany at Forty: Union Without Unity. NYU Press. p. 335. ISBN 978-0-81-475446-7. Kurt Georg KiesingerWilly BrandtHimself (acting)Helmut Schmidt 7 Hans-Dietrich Genscher 1 October 1974 23 February 1985 Compromise classical liberal faction Helmut SchmidtHelmut Kohl 8 Martin Bangemann 23 February 1985 8 October 1988 None Helmut Kohl 9 Otto Graf Lambsdorff 8 October 1988 11 June 1993 Market liberal and Ordoliberal faction Helmut Kohl 10 Klaus Kinkel 11 June 1993 10 June 1995 None Helmut Kohl 11 Wolfgang Gerhardt 10 June 1995 4 May 2001 Economic liberal and Social market economy faction Helmut KohlGerhard Schröder 12 Guido Westerwelle 4 May 2001 13 May 2011 Neoliberal and Anti-Ordoliberal faction (early)Social market economy faction (later) Gerhard SchröderAngela Merkel 13 Philipp Rösler 13 May 2011 7 December 2013 None Angela Merkel 14 Christian Lindner 7 December 2013 16 May 2025 None Angela MerkelOlaf ScholzFriedrich Merz 15 Christian Dürr 16 May 2025 30 May 2026 None Friedrich Merz 16 Wolfgang Kubicki 30 May 2026 Incumbent None Friedrich Merz
References