Vote of No-Confidence

Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt's Eastern and German policies are strongly disputed in the German Bundestag (Lower House of the Parliament). Brandt's political opponents charge that he has betrayed German interests.

I. Bundestag delegates congratulate Willy Brandt after the Vote of No-Confidence �Bundesbildstelle

Several coalition delegates join the CDU/CSU fraction because of their rejection of Brandt's Eastern and German policies. On April 27, 1972 the opposition takes advantage of the crumbling Bundestag majority of the social-liberal coalition to bring a vote of no-confidence against Willy Brandt. The Union wants to depose Brandt in order to elect the chairman of its fraction, Rainer Barzel , as Federal Chancellor. The citizens of the Federal Republic await the result of the no-confidence vote with great excitement. According to polls, the majority of citizens support the Brandt/Scheel government and its Eastern and German policies. If Willy Brandt were voted out of office, the future of the Eastern policies would be highly uncertain. In a few cities, citizens express their support for Willy Brandt in popular protests against the "Barzel putsch".
In the secret vote, Rainer Barzel fails to achieve the required majority in the Bundestag. Willy Brandt remains Federal Chancellor.

The defeated candidate for Federal Chancellor, Dr. Rainer Barzel, congratualtes Willy Brandt �Bundesbildstelle

The Bundestag must ratify the Eastern European treaties. With no support from the opposition, there is a threat of defeat. All parties support the Four-Power agreement on Berlin, which establishes treaty guarantees for West Berlin's freedom and which will bring much relief to the citizens of the divided city. However, the USSR conditions its signature of the Berlin agreement on Bundestag ratification of the Eastern European treaties.

Rainer Barzel wants to forestall that the Union parties should be held publicly responsible for the defeat of the Eastern European treaties and of the Four-Power agreement. He agrees with Willy Brandt on the text of a "common understanding" of the Bundesstag fractions concerning the treaties. This should make it easier for the members of the CDU/CSU fraction to let the treaties pass, even if only by their abstention from the vote. According to the "common understanding" the core of the Eastern treaties is the renunciation of force. The final determination of the German boundaries is to be left to the conclusion of a peace treaty.

After brief hesitation, the USSR accepts the "common agreement" as official policy of the Federal Republic of Germany. On May 17, 1972 the Bundestag ratifies the Eastern treaties. The majority of the delegates of the CDU/CSU fraction withhold their vote. The road to the signing of the Four-Power Agreement on Berlin is open.

In 1972 a stalemate develops between the government parties and the opposition, which can be overcome only through new elections. On September 20, 1972 Chancellor Willy Brandt raises the question of confidence according to Article 68 of the Basic Law, in order to make new elections possible. Because the Federal Ministers abstain from vote, the majority of the Bundestag delegates withhold their confidence. Thereupon Brandt proposes to Federal President Heinemann that the Bundestag be dissolved and that election be called in November 1972. The Federal President agrees.

The German public enters the election campaign of 1972 with much emotion. The SPD places Willy Brandt quite in the middle of its campaign. "Everything depends upon the Chancellor" and "Willy Brandt must remain Chancellor" are its slogans. 91 percent of qualified voters cast ballots. Willy Brandt achieves the best SPD election showing in its history: 45.8% of the votes cast. The election is a clear vote by the citizens for Willy Brandt and for the new East and German policies of the social-liberal coalition.