FDP exit: Kubicki on everyday challenges

After the FDP left the Bundestag, Wolfgang Kubicki had to adjust to a life without everyday parliamentary life. In doing so, he encountered unexpected challenges.

FDP veteran Wolfgang Kubicki was apparently surprised to find that he now has to organize part of his life himself after leaving the Bundestag. The move to the extra-parliamentary opposition means that he will no longer have many of the amenities that come with a political mandate.

"After 35 years of parliamentary work, I have now realised that I have to manage my own calendar again, ensure that I am reachable and read my emails myself," he told Bild. He also has to familiarise himself with modern technology again. "In the past, this has often been done by my staff. It is quite an adjustment," he explained.

There is another thing that worries him: "I woke up last night and thought: My God, you have to drive yourself." But he is looking forward to driving again. However, he has identified further obstacles: "Up until now, wherever I was, there was always a car. Now I have to make sure that I organize it myself."

Kubicki's future in the party remains uncertain. With Christian Lindner's withdrawal from active politics, the FDP will initially be without leadership after his official departure - as soon as the new Bundestag has been constituted. After Kubicki had originally also planned to leave the party leadership, the encouragement of his supporters made him rethink his position. On Monday night, he wrote on X that he was seriously considering running for party chairman and, in the long term, leading the FDP back into the Bundestag.

The 72-year-old FDP politician already sat in the Bundestag for two years from 1990 to 1992, was then a member of the state parliament in Schleswig-Holstein until 2017 and returned to the Bundestag in 2017.

The FDP, with its top candidate Lindner, failed to clear the five percent hurdle and achieved a disastrous election result of 4.3 percent. Yesterday, Wednesday, the former MPs met for a final parliamentary group meeting in the Bundestag. By the end of March, the premises must be cleared for the new MPs, office supplies and technology are being sold, and hundreds of employees are looking for new jobs.