CALD Youth Shares and Renews Hope in Germany

“The sun will soon shine again.”

These words of hope from Hon. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of its Committee on Security and Defence, resonated with CALD Youth delegates at the FDP Berlin Election Night Reception as results indicated that the party would remain outside Berlin’s state parliament.

For the young Asian liberals present, her message reached beyond Germany. It echoed struggles familiar in their own countries, where liberalism and democracy continue to face setbacks and uncertainty. These shared democratic struggles and challenges are also one of the reasons why CALD in cooperation with Junge Liberale organized this CALD Youth Executive Mission to Germany from 16 to 21 September 2026.  With the theme “Bridging Democracies: Inspire. Influence. Impact,” this mission aims to discuss current security and foreign policy developments affecting both Europe and the Indo-Pacific and how we can respond to them. With visits to Dusseldorf, Bonn and Berlin, the programme also sought to strengthen cooperation between CALD Youth and JuLis while creating opportunities for long-term exchange between young liberal leaders, policymakers and research institutions.

The program started with a visit to North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament for an exchange with Franziska Müller-Rech, Member of the State Parliament and FDP.  The discussion explored the FDP’s efforts to rebuild public trust and electoral support through a clearer liberal agenda, direct voter engagement, and stronger participation among young people and women. She also discussed the upcoming efforts for the next state elections in NRW this coming April 2027 and how the party is trying to rebuild its public trust. She emphasized the need to acknowledge mistakes and demonstrate meaningful change in the party’s leadership and approach. “We have made the change and we’re not the same party anymore, and we’ve understood what we have done wrong and want to learn from it,” she said.

During the Berlin leg, the remaining days were categorized into 3 topics, Democracy in Practice, Security, Historical Memory and Democratic Responsibility and Experiencing Democracy for the last day. Democracy in Practice began with a visit to the Taipei Representative Office in Germany, where Taiwan Representative Klement Gu emphasized the shared values, interests, and challenges connecting Taiwan and Germany. He also highlighted Taiwan’s commitment to democracy, freedom and human rights and their  experience in strengthening resilience and reducing economic dependence on China. “Taiwan is not a question, not an issue, Taiwan is a solution,” he said.

The next session “Inside JuLis & FDP: How Germany Builds Young Liberal Leaders,” moderated by JuLis International Officer Calvin Nixon, featured Alena Trauschel and Nemir Ali, both members of the FDP’s Federal Executive Board. Drawing on their experience in JuLis, party policymaking and parliamentary politics, they discussed how young people can move from political interest to meaningful influence. Trauschel addressed the challenge of reaching beyond existing supporters. “We really have to find ways to get out of those bubbles,” she said, calling for parties to broaden their outreach and support a wider range of emerging leaders.

The afternoon roundtable, “Building Democratic Resilience: Lessons from Germany, Europe and Asia,” was moderated by CALD Youth Chairperson Michelle Wu. Panelists were Gauri Sharma of International Federation of Liberal Youth, Ilija Jerkovic of European Liberal Youth and Marie-Florence Mahwera of the Women’s Council – Berlin. Drawing on experiences from Asia and Europe, participants examined the gap between formal representation and actual influence, underscoring the need to give young people, women and minority communities a meaningful role in shaping political decisions. The day ended with the CALD Youth–JuLis Liberal Salon: Building Liberal Partnerships between Germany and Asia with guest speakers Marc Bauer, Former JuLis Federal Board Member and Alice Katherine Schmidt, Manager in Public Consulting at PWC & Former International Officer of JuLis, where they shared how they first became involved in JuLis and their journeys into politics, government and professional life, while CALD Youth delegates had the opportunity to network and exchange experiences about the challenges their mother parties face and as young leaders.

Security, Historical Memory and Democratic Responsibility day began with the roundtable “Europe and the Indo-Pacific: Security, Democratic Partnerships and Strategic Cooperation.” Moderated by Nixon, the discussion brought together Kerry Hoppe, Member of the FDP Federal Executive Board, Karl-Heinz Paqué, President of Liberal International, and Prof. Dr. Heribert Dieter, Senior Associate in the Global Issues Research Division of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), to share their perspectives on regional security, democratic partnerships and strategic cooperation between Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Aside from the CALD Youth and JuLis delegates, participants from embassies and civil society organizations were also present. 

Hoppe explained that defending democracy involves the whole of society. Beyond military service, young people can contribute through emergency response, volunteer work and skills that help communities during crises. Paqué called for a clear commitment to defending democracy internationally, while acknowledging that maintaining public support for countries facing prolonged conflict can be difficult. “I think we shouldn’t have illusions in this respect. I think we should have a clear commitment to the fight for democracy and freedom all over the world. So there must be a clear political commitment.” Discussing BRICS and dissatisfaction with the international order, Dieter argued that Europe should develop its own proposal for cooperation and invite other countries to participate. He emphasized that Europe needs to offer an attractive alternative rather than remain on the sidelines criticizing other powers.

Beyond the formal sessions, delegates took part in field visits that brought learning beyond the conference room, offering firsthand insights into Germany’s democratic institutions, history, and political life. According to Wu, the visits to the museums and historical sites also offered delegates an opportunity to reflect on historical memory, transitional justice, and the responsibility to protect democracy. “Democratisation and transitional justice education are important issues in Taiwan to DPP Youth. They help the next generation understand why democracy and freedom must be protected,” she said.

One of the mission’s highlights was observing the Berlin state parliamentary election. CALD Youth delegates visited polling stations and attended the FDP Election Night Reception, where they witnessed the announcement of the results. Although the party failed to secure parliamentary representation, its members showed solidarity and determination to continue. As the FDP’s lead candidate in Berlin, Christoph Meyer, said, “We will continue tomorrow with everything we can do… It won’t be a sprint; it won’t be decided over a short distance. Instead, it will be a marathon. We are now looking toward the future… So now it’s about brushing ourselves off and carrying on, bringing the FDP back…”

As the delegates prepared to return home, they carried with them a renewed conviction which is that building resilient democracies requires solidarity, perseverance, and the courage to keep working for a brighter tomorrow.

Categorised in: News Article

This post was written by CALD