FDP leader Rülke hits back: District administrator spreads fake news!

FDP leader Rülke hits back: District administrator spreads fake news!

On October 31, 2025, the political storm in Baden-Württemberg will be complete. At the center of the dispute are the FDP state chairman Hans-Ulrich Rülke and the district administrator Günther-Martin Pauli. In a controversial debate, Rülke accuses his counterpart of spreading “fake news” and confronts him with a radical reform proposal.

In a new election campaign paper, Rülke calls for the abolition of all Baden-Württemberg district offices as well as the regional councils and regional associations. Instead, he plans to form regional districts that correspond to today's regional associations and would connect the Zollernalb district with Tübingen and Reutlingen. “There must finally be an end to the bureaucracy,” said Rülke. This proposal caused outrage among Pauli, who made a sharp statement that blamed him for the negative effects of the parliamentary reform.

The roots of the dispute

The parliamentary reform mentioned is the focus of the discussion, which has also influenced many political trends in Germany since 2008. Rülke, who was not involved in the negotiations at the time and once voted against the reform, is now confronted with an accusation that is causing confusion. Pauli, who was also against the reform, clearly spoke out in favor of the status quo and criticized the changes as “artificial respiration of political disenchantment”. It unites the opinion of many that the reform only unnecessarily increases the costs of politics.

The current political mood in Germany is not only making people sit up and take notice in Baden-Württemberg. The national level also shows a divided society. According to recent surveys, 63 percent of citizens have the feeling that Chancellor Friedrich Merz has not suffered any loss of influence despite his election defeat. Since forming a government on May 6, 2025, his coalition has experienced some bumpy start-ups. The federal election led to a strong rise in the AfD, which is now the largest opposition faction.

The significance for the future

The FDP is in a critical situation after failing to pass the 5 percent hurdle with 4.3 percent and therefore has to withdraw into the extra-parliamentary opposition. At a time when the government is looking for ways to strengthen internal and social security, the discussion about administrative reforms and reducing bureaucracy is of central importance. The challenges with a decline in economic output of 0.2 percent could further underline the urgency of Rülke's demands.

The dispute between Rülke and Pauli is not only an internal power play in Baden-Württemberg, but also reflects the turbulent political landscape at the federal level. The importance of reform and dealing with bureaucracy are high on voters' agendas, and it will be exciting to see how the government in Stuttgart and Berlin will address these challenges. Further information can be found on the websites of the FDP and Statista.