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| Europe | |
| Schroeder to Step Down as Head of Social Democratic Party | |
| 2004-02-06 | |
| German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Friday he would step aside as chairman of his Social Democratic Party, a move he hopes will counter stubbornly low poll ratings and end squabbling over the government’s reform plans. Schroeder will remain as chancellor, but said he planned to hand over the party chairmanship in March to Franz Muentefering, the leader of the Social Democrats’ group in parliament. "I will concentrate on my work as chancellor and head of government," Schroeder told a news conference. Muentefering, a close aide seen as being closer to the party’s core voters, will take on responsibility for selling the government’s reform policy to the unsettled Social Democrats. As part of the changes, the party’s general secretary, Olaf Scholz, will step down, Muentefering said. Scholz was only narrowly re-elected to the post by a party conference in November. Schroeder last year pushed through a package of reforms meant to revive the stagnant German economy, trimming welfare benefits and speeding up tax cuts -- and struggling to overcome resistance from left-wingers in his own party and Germany’s powerful unions. The party’s poll ratings have slumped since Schroeder narrowly won a second term in office September 2002, in a camapign with anti-American rhetoric and it suffered several setbacks in state elections last year. Schroeder has combined the roles of chancellor and party chairman since early 1999, reluctantly taking over the party post when a power struggle with leftist Oskar Lafontaine ended with Lafontaine’s surprise resignation as both party chairman and finance minister. Friday’s decision "is in the interest of the process of renewal in Germany," Schroeder said.
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| Posted by:rkb |
| #5 "Chancellor TGA" Has a nice ring to it that would strike terror in the hearts of islamists everywhere. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2004-2-6 12:47:59 PM |
| #4 Thanks folks... I have been actively involved in politics most of my life, but you know...the real action goes on in the back room. And yes .com, I really like privacy and hate grinning into cameras. I have met quite a few interesting people in my life. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2004-2-6 11:42:26 AM |
| #3 WCR - I echo your sentiments... but TGA wouldn't stand a chance cuz he's much too rational and realistic - and prolly wouldn't tolerate the micro-inspection of his life, not to mention his kitchen garbage... hmmmm, those are the same limitations that good people face in Merkin politics, too! ;-) |
| Posted by: .com 2004-2-6 11:22:07 AM |
| #2 I wish you the best for regime change TGA. TGA for Chancellor!!!! |
| Posted by: whitecollar redneck 2004-2-6 11:02:54 AM |
| #1 As you see...I'm rather busy these days! Schroederdaemmerung has begun! You will remember who predicted it... |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2004-2-6 10:54:55 AM |