Vietnam-born doctor takes reins of German liberal party | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 13.05.2011

(...) Rösler was very hesitant about taking over the helm from party leader Guido Westerwelle, his mentor for many years - and not because of any feigned humility.

"If I ever got the impression that politics was hurting my family, I would quit immediately," he said. Philipp Rösler now has seven years, until he is 45, to shovel a few more coals into the fire.

I rather doubt that Roesler is able to revitalize the FDP to double digits in the polls. As health minister, he crushed too much porcelain to be trustworthy for the electorate.

Almost two years have been wasted by too much liberal kow-towing to Merkel and her austerity-driven hardliner, Wolfgang Schaeuble, Federal Minister of Finance.

It hasn't been pushing - it has been free-democratic petting policy that has heavily backfired so far.

Westerwelle, the self-proclaimed liberal fertilizer, was plowed under, and what happened? Merkel's blossoms flourished - not his.

The complacency of Westerwelle's, Bruederle's, Roesler's, Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger's and Niebel's has led to almost self-destruction.

Well, Roesler has had to deal with the most unthankful job, namely taking care of the national public health and nursing care system. But his and his successor's approach will be staying unpopular, no doubt about it.

Therefore, this kind of small solution (exchange of Westerwelle with Roesler) won't be effective enough to survive the next state elections this year in Bremen (5/22), Mecklenburg-W Pomerania (9/4), Berlin (9/18).

(see current polls http://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/landtage/index.htm)