The future of Germany's junior coalition partners - the Free Democrats - is being mapped out today at a party conference - as its chairman, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, tries to convince the rank and file that he's still the man to lead them in a year that sees seven regional elections. Westerwelle, whose party shares national power with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, has seen the FDP's support plummet since they formed their coalition in September of 2009. Recent polls suggest the party might not even clear the 5-percent hurdle required to enter parliament if voters were to cast ballots today. Worse yet, a poll published this week shows that Westerwelle is the least popular major German politician, with a popularity rating of a paltry 22 percent, compared to 61 percent for Chancellor Angela Merkel.