German foreign minister in trouble at home

The leader of Germany’s Free Democrats, Guido Westerwelle, is fighting for his political life as the party gathers in Stuttgart for the traditional Epiphany conference.

The party, junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition, is haemorrhaging support, which is down from 15 per cent in 2009 to less than 5 per cent, the threshold to win seats in the Bundestag.

Christian Linder is the party secretary. He wants the FDP to present a unified front:

“These internal disputes are behind us, they have been bad for us because it gives the impression that the FDP is not a united party.”

Many blame Westerwelle’s lack of charisma for the party’s free fall and to add insult to injury he is considered the most unpopular foreign minister in recent history.

Westerwelle’s fate hangs not on this week’s party conference but March’s state elections; if the Free Democrats take a hammering at the polls then he will face a tough leadership battle at the annual conference in May.

The fightback starts today as Westerwelle attempts to steady the ship with a keynote speech to his disgruntled party.

Copyright © 2013 euronews