With its party congress, the FDP wants to put itself in a better position for the next state elections.
This is sorely needed.
In Schleswig-Holstein she governs with the CDU and the Greens, in North Rhine-Westphalia only with the CDU.
The hold on power is in jeopardy.
In the north, Prime Minister Günther could be enough in the future to have a partner.
In NRW, the SPD incumbent Wüst is hot on his heels.
To be indispensable, Liberals need strong results.
However, the traffic lights in the federal government have not been as good for them in the polls as they are for the Greens, whose leaders Habeck and Baerbock have high approval ratings.
FDP Federal Minister of Finance Lindner hardly scores.
His hands-on handling of the federal budget is a heavy burden even for supporters who consider debt because of Putin's war to be necessary.
But energy aid that is oversized and associated with perverse incentives is not good advertising for a liberal party.
Transport Minister Wissing has also remained below expectations so far.
The FDP state politicians will probably have to do without tailwind from Berlin.