From: clarinews@clarinet.com (PATRICK MOSER)
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Subject: Mainstream parties blame each other for right-wing surge)
Keywords: international, non-usa government, government, election, politics,
	civil rights, social issues, political personalities
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 92 10:23:00 PDT
Location: west germany
ACategory: international
Slugword: germany-elections
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	BONN, Germany (UPI) -- Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian Democratic
Union (CDU) and the opposition Socialist Democratic Party (SPD) blamed
each other Monday for encourgaing anti-foreigner sentiment that helped
vote radical right-wing parties into two state parliaments.
	But both Kohl and SPD Chairman Bjorn Engholm suggested the mainstream
parties should join forces in a bid to solve some of the country's most
pressing problems, including illegal immigration.
	At the same time, the CDU and the SPD made it clear they remained
firmly entrenched in their positions.
	Kohl reiterated his demand for an amendment of the constitutional
clause on asylum and SPD officials repeated their objection to such a
change.
	The German constitution guarantees the right of asylum to anyone
fleeing political persecution. The parties agree that the majority of
the people seeking asylum in Germany are economic migrants but disagree
on how to stop them from settling in the country.
	Last month, a record 35,000 people sought asylum in Germany.
	SPD officials blamed the CDU for playing into the hands of far right-
wing parties by running an emotional campaign based on the asylum issue.
The CDU in turn claimed that by blocking the constitutional amendment
the SPD also fed anti-foreigner resentment.
	The CDU lost its 20-year majority in Baden-Wuerttemberg where the far
right-wing German People's Union gained a foothold in parliament, as did
the Republicans of former SS storm trooper Franz Schoenhuber in
Schlesswig-Holstein.
	``It was a protest vote,'' Kohl said in a joint news conference with
the CDU candidates.
	``Both the SPD and the CDU have reasons to reflect on this,'' the
chancellor said. ``I hope it will be possible after yesterday to sit
down together and talk in a reasonable manner of very concrete problems.
''
	Engholm, the Schlesswig-Holstein prime minister expected to challenge
Kohl in 1994 general elections, used tougher language, calling the
chancellor ``a king without a country.''
	The SPD leader called for ``a national pact of reason,'' saying the
proposed talks should concentrate on such issues as asylum and what he
termed the country's ``catastrophic financial situation.''
	The voting was a severe setback for Kohl, whose party has lost
control of three states in the past two years.
	Some observers said the election results reflected rising anger over
the increasing number of foreigners seeking asylum in Germany from
Yugoslavia and East European countries.
	Attacks on foreigners quadrupled in the first three months of 1992,
to nearly 600 crimes, according to a new federal report.
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