Kohl 1982-1989

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  • Kohl 1982-1989
    • Social Problems of the 1980s
      • continuing unemployment
      • excluded immigrants from society & created division
      • Gastarbeiter = 8% of the population but in some areas made up 50% local population
        • did not integrate well
      • Kohl's desired solution was for them to leave but some were 2nd generation so thought of Germany was their home
    • Flick Affair
      • one of Germany's largest businesses, the Flick Corporation, exempted from tax payments in return for financial contributions to the FDP
      • FDP Finance Minister forced to resign 1984 for accepting bribes & was convicted of tax evasion in 1987
    • Bitburg Controversy
      • Kohl arranged small military ceremony of reconciliation at Bitburg to mark 40th anniversary of end of WWII as part of Reagan's state visit in 1985
      • visit to holocaust memorial at Bergen-Belsen added later in poor attempt to make up for it
      • cemetery contained grves of 49 members of **
        • interpreted as Kohl's attempt to rehabilitate former-Nazis
    • Kohl's Economic Policy
      • continued ostpolitik
      • return to tried and tested policies rather than innovative new ideas
        • Erhard's economic policy
      • closer European economic & monetary integration
      • reducing govts. role in the economy
    • fears of a lack of democracy proved unfounded & there was no constitutional crisis, safeguards were working & CDU/CSU + FDP coalition working
    • the removal of Schmidt was seen to undermine democracy as the political system was seen to be manipulated by a small party in pursuit of its own political agenda
    • 'Die Wende' (the turning point) indicating the end of SPD rule & the return of Conservative ascendency
    • Kohl was saved from resigning in 1989 by the collapse of the E.G. govt.

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