Format:
zahlr. Lit.Hinw., Dok. S. 541-564
ISSN:
0042-5702
Content:
After 20 years of Federal Governments led by the Christian Democrats, the changeover of power in 1969, as a result of elections, set a precedent in the parliamentary system of the FRG. Before the election, Brandt and FDP chairman Walter Scheel had made no secret about their common goal of bringing CDU/CSU dominance to an end. However, the absence of a clear electoral decision left open the possibility of a coalition negotiated by party officials. Given the results of this election - the CDU/CSU maintaining its plurality and just missing winning the majority of seats; the SPD continuing second with the best result ever and a substantial increase in votes; the FDP obviously weakened - most political observers expected a lengthy, open-ended decision-making process especially among the Liberals. Thus many, among them Chancellor Kiesinger, were taken aback by the speediness in which the coalition between SPD and FDP took shape. New documents show more clearly how the alliance had been prepared, how Brandt and Scheel had planned to convince their parties and who supported their move to form a government - their "coup" as some CDU/CSU officials put it. Subsequent to Brandt's initiative on election night and to a first meeting with Scheel the next day, only 48 hours after the election, members of the delegations of SPD and FDP agreed in principle to a coalition. The key to success was the firm determination of the two party leaders and their clever dealing with the decision-making bodies of their parties. Their strongest ally was fear in the FDP (and, to a lesser extent, the SPD) of disagreement, thereby weakening their own position in a situation which all knew would be decisive for years to come. (Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte / FUB)
In:
Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte, [Berlin] : De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 1953, 48(2000), 3, Seite 515-564, 0042-5702
In:
volume:48
In:
year:2000
In:
number:3
In:
pages:515-564
Language:
German
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