National Liberal Party (Germany)
National Liberal Party Nationalliberale Partei | |
|---|---|
| Historic Leaders | Wilhelm Wehrenpfennig Eduard Lasker Heinrich von Treitschke Johannes von Miquel Franz von Roggenbach Karl Braun Rudolf Gneist Ludwig Bamberger |
| Founded | February 12, 1867 |
| Dissolved | December 15, 1918 |
| Split from | German Progress Party |
| Succeeded by | German People's Party |
| Ideology | National liberalism Free trade Liberalism |
| Political position | Centre to centre-right |
| Colours | Pea green |
The National Liberal Party (German: Nationalliberale Partei, NLP) was a liberal party of the North German Confederation and the German Empire which flourished between 1867 and 1918.
During the Prussian-led unification of Germany, the National Liberals became the dominant party in the Reichstag. While supporting the common ideals of liberalism and nationalism, the party contained two wings, which reflected the conflicting claims of its Hegelian and idealistic heritage: one emphasized the power of the state through the Nationalstaat, and the other emphasized the civil liberties of the Rechtsstaat. Although that cleavage later proved fatal for its unity, the National Liberals managed to remain the pivotal party in the decades after unification by cooperating with both the Progressives and the Free Conservatives on various issues.