German liberals face scandal as "D-Day" plan to exit Scholz coalition surfaces

Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are facing internal turmoil after being forced to release an internal "D-Day" document outlining plans to dissolve Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition.

The controversy has led to the resignation of both the author of the document and the party’s secretary-general, who took responsibility for the scandal that has rocked the once-dominant party, now struggling with low approval ratings ahead of snap elections in February, Caliber.Az reports via FT.

The crisis erupted when Scholz’s three-party coalition, already fragile, collapsed earlier this month amidst ongoing economic difficulties, including factory closures and one of the worst recessions since the early 2000s. Scholz triggered the coalition’s downfall by firing FDP leader Christian Lindner, who was serving as finance minister at the time. Lindner quickly framed his dismissal as part of a “calculated rupture” engineered by Scholz.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn this week when an internal PowerPoint presentation, leaked to the media, revealed that the FDP had discussed what they referred to as “D-Day” strategies to exit the coalition weeks before Scholz’s action. The document even pinpointed the “ideal point in time” for an exit, which was the week of November 4 (just before Scholz dismissed Lindner on November 6). The paper outlined four stages for bringing about the collapse of the coalition, with the final stage described as the “start of the pitched battle.”

Amid intense media scrutiny, the FDP made the document public on November 28, a move that only added fuel to the fire. Scholz’s spokesman, Wolfgang Büchner, commented that the document’s release validated the chancellor’s decision to remove Lindner from office.

Before the document’s release, FDP leaders had denied using the term “D-Day” in their discussions about exiting the coalition. In an interview, Lindner denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was merely trying to initiate the policy changes Germany needed, which the Scholz-led coalition could no longer deliver. He argued that it was professional for staff to explore various scenarios for the future of the government.

Despite Lindner’s defence, the publication of the document caused outrage within the FDP. Franziska Brandmann, leader of the Young Liberals, criticized the party’s actions, calling them “unworthy of a liberal party” and accusing the leadership of misleading both the public and their own members for weeks.

The scandal also led to the resignation of Carsten Reymann, the party’s federal manager, who admitted to drafting the “working paper” as a preparatory document for a potential FDP exit from the coalition. Reymann explained that the paper was meant to be an internal discussion, not a final plan.

Additionally, FDP Secretary-General Bijan Djir-Sarai also resigned, stating that he had been unaware of the document’s existence or content. However, he acknowledged that he had unknowingly provided false information about it and apologized for his role in the scandal. Djir-Sarai took full political responsibility, emphasizing the need to restore credibility to both his position and the party.

By Tamilla Hasanova