- Title: WEST GERMANY: WILLY BRANDT ELECTED CHANCELLOR BY TWO VOTE MAJORITY.
- Date: 21st October 1969
- Summary: BUNDESTAG EMBLEM; BRANDT VOTING; FRA BRANDT AMONG SPECTATORS; KIESINGER VOTING; BRANDT ACCEPTS NOMINATION; BRANDT TAKES OATH. Initials AH/VS/PN/OS AVAILABLE ON BETACAM NX 038 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th November 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BONN, WEST GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVA3FT4EGFVOP0AFOV9VLP065EX
- Story Text: SOCIAL DEMOCRAT LEADER WILLY BRANDT WAS ELECTED CHANCELLOR OF WEST GERMANY TODAY (TUESDAY). THE NARROW MARGIN OF TWO VOTES GAVE HERR BRANDT AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY IN THE BUNDESTAG, THUS ENDING THE RULE OF CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC LEADER KURT KIESINGER, WHOSE PARTY HAS HELD POWER FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
IN THE CLOSEST VOTE SINCE DR. KONRAD ADENAUER FIRST CAME TO POWER IN 1949, 55-YEAR-OLD HERR BRANDT SECURED A TOTAL OF 251 VOTES - THE MINIMUM NEEDED TO QUALIFY FOR ELECTION ON THE FIRST BALLOT.
A PACKED LOWER HOUSE SAW HERR BRANDT TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE TO INAUGURATE THE FIRST GERMAN GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED BY THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS FOR 39 YEARS.
HERR BRANDT IS WEST GERMANY'S FOURTH CHANCELLOR, AND HIS GOVERNMENT COALITION OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATS AND FREE DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE TO SURVIVE ON A SLIMMER MAJORITY THAN ANY OF ITS PREDECESSORS.
DR. KIESINGER DECLARED LATER THAT THE NARROWNESS OF TODAY'S VOTE INDICATES THAT THE NEW COALITION WILL BE FACED WITH A STRONG AND UNRELENTING OPPOSITION.
CHANCELLOR BRANDT' CABINET OF 12 SOCIAL DEMOCRATS AND THREE FREE DEMOCRATS WILL BE SWORN INTO OFFICE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY).
THE NEW GOVERNMENT IS PLEDGED TO STRENGTHEN THE DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE OF WEST GERMAN LIFE, IMPROVING THE TAX SYSTEM LIBERALISING UNIVERSITIES AND EXPANDING THE REFORM OF JUSTICE. IT IS PLANNED TO GIVE WORKERS A BIGGER PART IN RUNNING INDUSTRY AND TO REDUCE THE VOTING AGE FROM 21 TO 18.
THE GOVERNMENT'S FOREIGN POLICY IS LIKELY TO EXTEND SUPPORT TO BRITISH ENTRY INTO THE COMMON MARKET, AND TO SEEK IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH THE SOVIET UNION AND COMMUNIST COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE.
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