The Association of Free Democrats () was a liberal electoral coalition, later party, formed in
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
on 12 February 1990. It originally consisted of the
Liberal Democratic Party, the
Free Democratic Party (East Germany) and the
German Forum Party. In the
Volkskammer
The Volkskammer (, "People's Chamber") was the supreme power organ of East Germany. It was the only branch of government in the state, and per the principle of unified power, all state organs were subservient to it.
The Volkskammer was initia ...
election of the 18 March 1990 the Association of Free Democrats, heavily supported by the West German
Free Democratic Party, polled 5.28% of the votes and gained 21 seats, all parties running on the same lists. Most of the seats went to
Liberal Democratic Party members, whose leader
Rainer Ortleb became their parliamentary leader. It then participated in the last GDR government led by
Lothar de Maizière.
On 27 March 1990, the
Liberal Democratic Party and the
National Democratic Party of Germany
National Democratic Party of Germany (, NPD), officially called The Homeland () since 2023, is a Far-right politics, far-right, Neo-Nazism, neo-Nazi and Ultranationalism, ultranationalist political party in Germany. It was founded in 1964 as ...
, previously excluded from the coalition, merged into the party ''Association of Free Democrats'', leaving their old identity as bloc parties behind. Ortleb was elected chairman, former NDPD leader
Wolfgang Rauls became his deputy. Finally, on 11 August 1990 the Association of Free Democrats party, the
Free Democratic Party (East Germany) and the
German Forum Party merged with the
Free Democratic Party.
See also
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Liberalism
Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...
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Contributions to liberal theory
Individual contributors to classical liberalism and political liberalism are associated with philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment. Liberalism as a specifically named ideology begins in the late 18th century as a movement toward ...
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Liberalism worldwide
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List of liberal parties
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Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also called Western-style democracy, or substantive democracy, is a form of government that combines the organization of a democracy with ideas of liberalism, liberal political philosophy. Common elements within a liberal dem ...
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Liberalism in Germany
This article aims to give a historical outline of liberalism in Germany (). The liberalism, liberal political party, parties dealt with in the timeline below are, largely, those which received sufficient support at one time or another to have bee ...
External links
Association of Free Democrats from ''chronik der wende''
1990 establishments in East Germany
1990 disestablishments in East Germany
Germany 1990
Defunct political party alliances in Germany
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
Organizations of the Revolutions of 1989
Peaceful Revolution
Political opposition alliances
Political parties disestablished in 1990
Political parties established in 1990
Political parties in East Germany
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