Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - Around two weeks after the state elections, the North Rhine-Westphalian FDP elected a new parliamentary group leader. The twelve parliamentary group members unanimously elected Henning Höne as the new chairman, the party announced on Monday in the Düsseldorf state parliament. "After both the CDU and the Greens cleared the way for coalition negotiations at the weekend, it is very clear from our point of view that these two parties will form the state government," said the 35-year-old. "That's why the Free Democrats are facing up to their new role as an opposition faction."
Höne also spoke out for the FDP country leader Joachim Stamp. "The state board has agreed on a course to work through this now in peace and the state board has agreed to do the same with Joachim Stamp," said the Liberal. "We are now at the very beginning of this path, just a few days after the election, but we will continue on this path together."
Höne has been Parliamentary Secretary since 2017 and succeeds Christof Rasche (59 years old), who was only re-elected shortly after the election. Rasche has now been nominated by his parliamentary group as Vice-President of the state parliament. The new Parliamentary Secretary is Marcel Hafke (40 years old), who was also unanimously elected.
The former governing party FDP lost more than ever in NRW in the state elections around two weeks ago and ended up with a weak 5.5 percent (2017: 12.6 percent).
