WEST GERMANY: KIESINGER AND BRANDT CAST THEIR VOTES IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS - RESULTS SHOW INCONCLUSIVE VICTORY FOR DR. KIESINGER

Record ID: 328496

  • Title: WEST GERMANY: KIESINGER AND BRANDT CAST THEIR VOTES IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS - RESULTS SHOW INCONCLUSIVE VICTORY FOR DR. KIESINGER
  • Date: 29th September 1969
  • Summary: INTERIOR KIESINGER AND WIFE COLLECT BALLOT PAPERS: PRESSMEN: KIESINGER VOTES: MR. & MRS. BRANDT ARRIVE: BRANDT VOTES. Initials MJS/V/MR/OS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 14th October 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BONN, WEST GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVAELXSQFBBY5PCOIVBMRJ4JP413
  • Story Text: CHANCELLOR KURT GEORGE KIESINGER'S CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT PARTY HAS WON A NARROW BUT INCONCLUSIVE VICTORY AT THE POLLS IN WEST GERMANY'S FEDERAL ELECTIONS, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON SUNDAY.

    THE FINAL OFFICIAL RESULT, SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION, ANNOUNCED EARLY THIS MORNING (29 SEPTEMBER), GAVE THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS 46.1 PERCENT OF THE POLL.

    THEIR PARTNERS IN A CO-ALITION GOVERNMENT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, FOREIGN MINISTER WILLY BRANDT'S SOCIAL DEMOCRATS, GAINED 42.7 PER CENT.

    THERE HAD BEEN HOPES AMONG THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS THAT THEY MIGHT GAIN AN OVERWHELMING VICTORY AT THE POLLS THIS TIME, AND PUT THEM IN POWER ALONE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWENTY YEARS.

    TWO OTHER PARTIES ARE LIKELY TO FIND THE ELECTION RESULTS A DISAPPOINTMENT. THE SMALL FREE DEMOCRAT PARTY GAINED 5.8 PER CENT, LESS THAN THEY HAD HOPED. ENOUGH TO ASSURE THEM A PLACE IN THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT, IT MAY, HOWEVER, YET MAKE THEM A USEFUL PARTNER IN A CO-ALITION.

    ADOLF VON THADDEN'S NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS EVEN LESS CAUSE FOR REJOICING. THE CRUCIAL FIVE PER CENT WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM ENTRY INTO THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT ELUDED THEM. ON FINAL RESULTS THEY HAD 4.3 PER CENT OF THE VOTE.

    LEADING MEMBERS OF BOTH THE MAJOR PARTIES ARE AGREED THAT THE FORMATION OF A NEW GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT.

    THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS AND FREE DEMOCRATS BETWEEN THEM HAVE ENOUGH SEATS TO SECURE AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY OVER THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS, SHOULD THEY WISH TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. BUT HERR BRANDT HAS SO FAR DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER THE TWO PARTIES WOULD FORM A CO-ALITION, THOUGH HE SAID HE WAS READY TO TALK TO THE FREE DEMOCRATS.

    WHILE HERR KIESINGER STRESSED THAT HIS PARTY IS THE ABSOLUTE WINNER, HERR BRANDT POINTED OUT THAT THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS WERE THE ONLY PARTY TO RECORD GAIN COMPARED WITH THE 1965 ELECTION.

    BOTH THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS AND THE FREE DEMOCRATS HAD LOST GROUND, HE SAID. A COALITION OF LOSERS WOULD NOT BE A SUITABLE OUTCOME.

    ALMOST NINETY PER CENT OF WEST GERMANY'S 38,800,000 VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS YESTERDAY. AMONG THOSE WHO CAST THEIR VOTES IN BONN WERE HERR KIESINGER AND HERR BRANDT, ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR WIVES.
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