The defeat of the center-right Chancellor Kohl, the only remaining European leader who held office when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, reflects shifting political priorities throughout Europe. Cold War geo-politics have taken a back seat to concerns about the competitive pressures of a global economy, overburdened welfare systems, and high unemployment. Kohl's campaign was plagued by record unemployment which affects 11 percent of the German population. While in office, Kohl worked to reunite East and West Germany and also to further unify European states into a cooperative coalition. But as democrats, we accept the decision of the voters.
Life goes on.
Schroeder has already vowed to restore some of the social welfare programs the Christian Democrats had begun to curb. Schroeder's campaign promises now place him in a delicate position similar to that of British Prime Minister Blair and French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. The new chancellor must reform Germany's welfare system while both staying globally competitive and creating jobs. The first months in office may be crucial to the Social Democrats, who have walked the center-line during the campaign, assuring businessmen of lower taxes and workers of more benefits. If the Social Democrats decide to ally with the Greens, the resulting coalition would provide a slim majority in the Bundestag with a projected total of 334 seats out of a total of 656.