THE LOCAL: Guido Westerwelle, who aims to become foreign minister in a new government under Chancellor Angela Merkel, has had to shake off his “joker” image to make it in the often staid world of German politics.
The head of Germany’s biggest opposition party used to make headlines for moving into TV’s Big Brother house for a few hours, painting his party’s election goal on the soles of his shoes, and coming out of the closet.
But the 47-year-old lawyer who was often the life and soul of the party has few laughing now. The FDP’s strength will likely decide whether Merkel can win re-election with her coalition of choice in the September 27 poll.
Westerwelle’s pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), frequent partners of the conservative Christian Democrats over half a century of post-war politics, are keen to play kingmakers again.
After 11 years in the political wilderness, Westerwelle has shaken off his at times foppish image and says he is ready to be the country’s first openly gay top diplomat.
“Of course I made some mistakes when I was young but one grows older and wiser,” he told AFP in an interview earlier this year when asked about his more memorable publicity stunts.
“But the Germans seem to see us positively—otherwise they wouldn’t have given us one of the best results in our history at the last national election.”
Since that 9.8-percent score in 2005, the FDP has seen its support soar at times to within four points of the Social Democrats, Germany’s oldest political outfit and the junior partner in Merkel’s “grand coalition.” >>> AFP | Tuesday, September 22, 2009
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