A fresh start with new faces? Philipp Rösler with party vice president Birgit Homburger, leader of the parliamentary group Rainer Brüderle and general secretary Christian Lindner (front row, left to right).

Philipp Rösler took over as FDP leader, Guido Westerwelle was eased out but remains foreign minister – By Peter H. Koepf

The three-day FDP party congress in mid-May resembled a child’s birthday party. The delegates appeared to be playing a game of musical chairs. Virtually all of the Free Democratic Party’s top leaders managed to find a chair when the tune stopped, even if it was not the same one as before. Everyone except the most senior member.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is no longer deputy chancellor. That office now belongs to his successor as FDP chairman, Philipp Rösler, who has also made the transition from the health ministry to the economics ministry. Merkel will now have to deal with him first and foremost the next time the FDP wants to establish new policy goals.

The Liberals campaigned in 2009 on a promise to cut taxes. Their plan failed thanks to the general economic situation, as well as to the finance minister and a chancellor who kept a tight hold on the purse strings. The FDP has been widely discredited as a failed single-issue party. But now, in light of increasing tax revenue, they are hoping they can keep their as yet unfulfilled promise after all.

During the congress Rösler listed further key issues for the party. Thus, the FDP wants to require the government to consult parliament before dispensing financial aid to defaulting EU countries. And in response to the government’s recent U-turn on nuclear power, the Liberals want to make economic viability the key criterion – in other words they want to put the brakes on the planned phase-out of nuclear energy. It seems that even under Rösler, the Conservative blue and the Liberal yellow will not mix to produce a blend of green policies.

The young guns around Rösler had been pushing for Westerwelle to quit the leadership since recent election defeats saw the FDP repeatedly thrashed in several regional contests. “The loss of confidence also applies to his role as foreign minister,” party grandee and former interior minister Gerhard Baum said. There should be no “false loyalty” shown to Westerwelle, he added.In the end, however, the delegates did not dare to deprive their long-serving chairman of his position as foreign minister. But many observers are still waiting to see what will happen next.

A man who was born in Vietnam is now leading the FDP. Rösler, who was adopted by a German couple when he was nine months old, has a degree in medicine. He is married to a fellow doctor, with whom he has fathered twins. In 2000 he was baptized in the Catholic Church. Those who know him only from his appearances on television have said he has very different attributes than his predecessor: They describe him as nice, friendly, reserved and quiet.

Before the convention, journalists were already accusing Rösler of weak leadership and indecisiveness because he seemed unable to secure posts for his nominees. But at the congress he succeeded in putting together his team, and at least two top Liberals have had to bow to Rösler’s wishes.

Rainer Brüderle was forced to give up his post as economics minister and take over as leader of the FDP parliamentary group. This could yet prove a happy solution for him should the new party leaders and their ministers fail to impress voters. In that case Brüderle would not bear any direct responsibility. He has promised to work relentlessly in parliament to implement the FDP’s goals, even if that means clashing with their conservative coalition partners and the chancellor.

Rösler appeased Birgit Homburger, Brüderle’s predecessor as leader of the FDP parliamentary group, by offering to become the first female vice president of the party. This move also received the nod from the party convention. The young Christian Lindner, with whom Rösler collaborated on a book two years ago, remains party general secretary.

“New trust is possible but we have not yet gained it,” Lindner said at the end of the conference. “But we have made a new departure.” Just one week later, the freshly-minted leadership team was forced to acknowledge that it will be not be so easy to convince the voters. In regional elections in Bremen and Bremerhaven, the FDP did not make the 5 percent hurdle and will not be represented in the new parliament. “The result is disappointing,” acknowledged Rösler. “You can’t win back trust overnight.”