The Free Democratic Party is a German liberal and formerly libertarian party, that was founded in 1948. It supports free trade and reducing the role of the state in economic policy. Today, it also supports same-sex "marriage" and joint adoption. Its chairman is Christian Lindner.
The FDP has traditionally been composed mainly of middle and upper class Protestants who consider themselves heirs to the European libertarian tradition. It supports free trade and reducing the role of the state in economic policy. It is leftist on social issues. The party has participated in all but three postwar federal governments but had not been in federal government from 1998 to 2009. The FDP was part of the government together with the CDU and the CSU from 2009 to 2013, but it was on a decline since then. 2013 the FDP lost the election and left the parliament.[1]