The FDP now also has its Schröder.

His name is Kubicki.

With his proposal to put the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline into operation, he infuriated the entire party leadership, including the chairman, his friend Lindner.

Even in the SPD, which up until Putin's attack on Ukraine had clung to the fairy tale that the pipe was merely a "private-sector" project serving peace, Kubicki's demand was castigated as a propaganda service for Putin.

In fact, Kremlin spokesman Peskov could not have presented the allegations with which the deputy FDP chairman and Bundestag vice-president handled any better.

Can this stop the downward trend of the FDP?

Can the old hand Kubicki really be as naive as he argues?

It looks more as if someone here thinks they have found a topic that can be used to stop the FDP's downward trend.

Because there is no doubt that the Germans, both private individuals and entrepreneurs, would rather have a secure gas supply than the nail-biter predicted for them in the winter.

The rapid and massive criticism of Kubicki from all government parties and also from the Union shows how big the concern is that the call for sanctions to be lifted, starting with the commissioning of the expensive new pipeline, could meet with a growing response from the people.

Maybe the FDP doesn't have Schröder after all, but a new Möllemann.