Deniz Anan conducts a comparative qualitative analysis to trace the complex programmatic development of the FDP and the Greens between 1971 and 2013 for the purpose of ideological classification. The study partially confirms the thesis of the Greens as the 'new Liberals': especially during the period of the red-green federal government (1998-2005), the FDP and the Greens can be characterized as economically liberal and eco-socially liberal, respectively. The analysis points to the relevance of dominant paradigms, the solid programmatic foundation of traditional segmentation patterns, and isolated reciprocal discourses, but does not recognize a centripetal development. The qualitative approach represents a meaningful complement to the predominantly quantitative research on party programs.