Shake in Bavaria: Who will be the new FDP boss? The focus on the candidates!

Shake in Bavaria: Who will be the new FDP boss? The focus on the candidates!

The FDP in Bavaria is facing a decisive course: Today, on June 11, 2025, the member survey goes into the last round for the election of the new state chairman. After a first round of voting, candidates Michael Ruoff and Matthias Fischbach have to assert themselves in a runoff election. While Ruoff achieved 46.45 percent of the vote, Fischbach came to 29.87 percent. Thomas Klaue, who also applied, ended with 23.68 percent and thus eliminates the race. Since none of the applicants have reached the absolute majority, election is elected between the two best places, until June 22nd. The final decision about the new state chairman will then be made on June 28th and 29th during the state party conference in Amberg, as Antenne Bayern

But why these new elections? After a bitter election defeat, in which the Bayern FDP fell from 10.5 percent in 2021 to just 4.2 percent, the previous state chairman Martin Hagen and Katja Hessel attract the ripcord and no longer compete. This is a turning point for the party, which also failed nationwide at 4.3 percent at the five percent hurdle. Such a crisis brings opposition with it, and the new tour is intended to help the FDP create the turn. An innovative approach to the realignment is now required by the members, as is also shown by the Merkur

candidates in the focus

A total of three men applied for the post of the state chairman. Michael Ruoff (49), a lawyer and head of the Munich FDP, has experience as an entrepreneur and investor. His goal is to overcome internal differences and to present the party authentically again. Matthias Fischbach (36) is a former member of the state parliament and is committed to more citizen participation and freedom rights. And finally there is the 67-year-old Thomas Klaue, an economist and entrepreneur without direct professional experience. He focuses on establishing the FDP as a relevant political actor in Bavaria. These candidates will introduce themselves in the districts in the coming days to gain the trust of the members, as the official announcement of the

The membership survey, which began on June 1st, continues to this day. If we need a runoff election, this will take place from June 12th to 22nd. The impending deficit to the political competitors makes it particularly urgent for the FDP to create an agreement and to actively involve the base in the process.