BERLIN — A prominent member of the Free Democrats, the political party that recently withdrew from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition, announced his resignation amidst controversy surrounding an internal document that outlined strategies for exiting the government. This document, which was provocatively titled “D-Day,” has stirred significant unrest within the party.
Bijan Djir-Sarai, who held the position of general secretary and oversaw daily political strategies and election preparations, stated he would step down to mitigate any potential harm to his own reputation as well as that of the Free Democrats. He expressed that he was taking political accountability in light of the circumstances.
This situation poses a significant threat to the Free Democrats as they prepare for elections, particularly given that polls indicate they might not achieve the 5% support necessary to maintain seats in parliament.
The turmoil follows the dismissal of Christian Lindner, the Free Democrats’ leader, from his role as finance minister on November 6. This decision came amid escalating tensions over efforts to rejuvenate Germany’s sluggish economy. With the departure of the Free Democrats from the coalition, Chancellor Scholz now lacks a parliamentary majority.
Scholz is set to call for a confidence vote on December 16, which he is anticipated to lose, thus paving the way for elections scheduled on February 23.
Following the collapse of the coalition—comprising Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, the environmentally focused Greens, and the Free Democrats—there has been a public exchange of blame between Scholz and Lindner regarding the fallout. Their coalition had gained a reputation for its internal disputes.
Subsequent to the coalition’s dissolution, reports surfaced regarding an internal strategy document that outlined the Free Democrats’ plans for exiting the government. On November 18, Djir-Sarai refuted claims about the inclusion of the term “D-Day” in the document, which alluded to the Allied landings during World War II.
However, in a surprising turn, the Free Democrats released what they described as a working document produced by a junior official discussing methods for communicating a potential government exit. Titled “D-Day process scenario and measures,” it notably mentions the “beginning of the open battle” as part of the communication strategy, drawing considerable criticism from within the party.
In his resignation announcement, Djir-Sarai admitted he was unaware of the internal document when he originally refuted its contents and extended an apology for inadvertently providing misleading information. The party indicated that the document was initiated on October 24 and updated on November 5, the version they later made public.
