Europe | A dash of yellow

Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats may be essential to forming a government

Christian Lindner, the party’s leader, could hold the key

|BERLIN

CHRISTIAN LINDNER, the leader of Germany’s pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), is likely to emerge as a crucial figure after the election. Polling suggests it will be hard to form a coalition without the FDP. The 42-year-old Mr Lindner will relish the chance to cap his rapid political ascent with a job inside Germany’s next government—ideally as finance minister. His enemies would see that as their worst nightmare.

This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “A dash of yellow”

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