West German's Free Democratic Party merged with three centrist East German parties Saturday, forming the first all-German political party in advance of the unification of the two German states and Dec. 2 all-German elections.
At a special congress in Hanover, the FDP, political base of Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, united with the East German FDP, the Federation of Free Democrats and the German Forum Party.The new party is now called FDP-The Liberals. Outgoing West German FDP Chairman Otto Graf Lambsdorff, 63, was elected the first leader of the all-German party.
In a declaration adopted at the congress, the new party declared that its aim was "to fill German unity with a liberal spirit."
The West German FDP is a junior partner in the Christian Democratic Union-led coalition Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
Although the FDP seldom gained more than seven percent of the votes in West German elections, it has traditionally played a crucial role, helping the leading party form a coalition. The FDP has been in government with both the Social Democratic Party and Kohl's CDU.
The CDU and the opposition SPD also intend to merge with their East German sister-parties in late September.
The newly formed parties will face their first test on Oct. 14, when elections are held in the five states East Germany will create before merging with West Germany.
There is growing support in Bonn and East Berlin for proposals that German unification should take place the same day the state elections are held.
The Christian Democratic Party, led by Kohl in West Germany and Prime Minister Lothar de Maiziere in East Germany, both wanted unification and all-German elections Oct. 14.
But the opposition Social Democrats, the second-largest party in both countries, sought unification in September and elections in December, hoping that delayed elections could railroad Kohl's quest to head a united Germany and improve their election chances.
The Social Democrats favor unification as early as possible but contend Kohl wants early elections to avoid the political repercussions of a growing economic crisis in East Germany.