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November 29, 2024
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai announced his resignation on Friday. This step followed the publication of an internal FDP strategy paper that detailed plans for a potential withdrawal from the traffic light coalition. The publication of the document, referred to as the "D-Day" paper in media reports, triggered strong reactions and criticism, both within the FDP and from coalition partners SPD and Greens.
Djir-Sarai announced his resignation in a short statement to journalists in Berlin. He justified his step with the "political responsibility" for the situation that arose and the necessity to avert damage from the party. He emphasized having unknowingly made false statements about the document and apologized for it.
The eight-page strategy paper, formatted like a presentation, outlines various scenarios for a possible end to the traffic light coalition and the associated communication strategies. It describes in detail how the FDP could stage a withdrawal from the government and influence public opinion. The term "D-Day" is used several times in the document to refer to the day of the coalition's withdrawal. The use of this military terminology met with widespread criticism and was considered inappropriate.
The publication of the paper led to a significant loss of trust and reinforced the impression of a planned FDP strategy to break the coalition. The coalition partners SPD and Greens, in particular, reacted with outrage and accused the FDP of deceiving the public. There were also critical voices within the FDP who held Djir-Sarai responsible for the creation of and handling of the paper.
The pressure on Djir-Sarai grew steadily in the days following the publication of the "D-Day" paper. The chairwoman of the Young Liberals, Franziska Brandmann, publicly called for his resignation and criticized the paper as "unworthy of a liberal party". She accused Djir-Sarai of deceiving the party and the public and demanded that he take political responsibility.
Criticism of Djir-Sarai was also voiced from other parts of the FDP. Many party members expressed their incomprehension about the creation of the paper and the way it was handled. The publication of the document was considered a strategic mistake that could harm the party in the election campaign.
The resignation of Bijan Djir-Sarai marks a turning point for the FDP. The party now faces the challenge of compensating for the loss of trust and repositioning itself for the upcoming election campaign. The search for a successor for the office of General Secretary is likely to be the focus in the coming days. It remains to be seen how the "D-Day" affair will affect the FDP and its electoral chances in the long term.
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