Free Democratic Party The Free Democratic Party (Freie
Demokratische Partei--FDP) is much smaller than the CDU or SPD,
but its limited electoral strength masks the party's inordinate
influence. Prior to the 1994 election, the FDP had experienced
its worst results in national elections in 1969 (5.8 percent)
and 1983 (7 percent). Both of those poor showings occurred
following an FDP decision to switch coalition partners. Beyond
these two exceptions, between 1949 and 1990 the FDP averaged 9.6
percent of the vote in national elections. Given its pivotal
role in governing coalitions, the FDP has held over 20 percent
of the cabinet posts during its time in government. The FDP
served in coalition governments with the CDU from 1949 to 1956
and from 1961 to 1966. As of mid-1995, it has governed with the
CDU since 1982. The FDP governed in coalition with the SPD from
1969 to 1982. The remarkable amount of time that the FDP has
spent in government has been a source of continuity in the
German political process. FDP mini