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Article: Kohl's Opposition Self-Destructs Again; Germany's Social Democrats Sink to Lowest Popularity Since 1949
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- September 29, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Only a year ago, Germany's Social Democrats seemed ready for prime
time. After years in hapless opposition, playing second fiddle to
Chancellor Helmut Kohl and his center-right ruling coalition, this
country's oldest political party had redefined itself with new
leaders, new ideas and a new eagerness to govern.
The Social Democrats barely fell short in last October's election -
- Kohl won a razor-thin 10-seat majority in Parliament to secure a
fourth term -- but the party has kept falling ever since. By
battering themselves senseless with internecine feuding and
projecting an image of woeful confusion, the Social Democrats have
sunk close to a postwar low in popularity.
Consequently, Kohl's ...