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FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki wants to see his party in third place in the federal election.
"My personal goal is for the Free Democrats to become the third strongest force in Germany again," he said on Friday at the opening of the federal party conference.
In any case, the election result of 2017 - 10.7 percent - should be exceeded.
"We want to become so strong that there can be no serious government formation without us," said Kubicki.
The focus of the party congress, which lasts until Sunday, is the re-election of party leader Christian Lindner and further elections to the presidium and board of directors and the adoption of the election program.
"Let's work out the most liberal, the most sensible and the most practicable program together, which will be available for election on September 26," Kubicki called out to the 660 delegates.
They have to attend the party congress from home - because of the pandemic, the FDP meets largely digitally.
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Kubicki also took a look back at the past year, in which the FDP had at times been well below five percent in surveys.
The criticism of the federal government's pandemic measures brought accusations of populism to the party, lamented Kubicki.
Despite the headwind, however, the party had shown “stamina” and “nothing and no one” could put it off course.
“Without a doubt, we are needed,” assured Kubicki.
"For example, to finally make Germany digital." The FDP is also "the only force that relies on greater efficiency," he said.
"Anyone who calls for tax increases and talks about a property levy has not yet heard the shot."