Helmut Kohl''s political leadership: using the example of the CDU internal discussion on the second version of the 1971 Berlin programme
Abstract
At the beginning of the 1970s Helmut Kohl was the leading personality in a new generation of CDU politicians born in the early 1930s, which ascended to the Party leadership after the CDU''s defeat and its demotion to opposition in 1969. He was the new Prime Minister of the German Province of Rhineland-Palatinate and Deputy Chairman of the CDU.
From the very beginning he anchored his career upon conflict with the Party elites from the CDU founder generation and his criticism of the under developed party structures. At the same time, although still a young man, he showed his talent for building up political alliances and establishing his own power base.
Being the chairman of the party''s Policy Commission was the chance for him as a provincial politician to appeal to a broader membership and thus strengthen his position in his fight for the CDU''s chairmanship. By initiating and formulating a progressive programme he was in a position to greatly assist in the modernization of the CDU, which was, after all, his long-term aim and to present himself as a reformist.
Yet, at the same time he was wary of damaging his links with the more conservative elements in the CDU. His Commission presented a very liberal proposal.
However, it is not possible to name Kohl as its author as he had never been deeply interested in policy issues; he always tended to influence political events on a general level. Nevertheless, Kohl facilitated the elaboration of this text by surrounding himself with a number of younger reform-minded politicians and by giving them a space to do so.
Yet, when it became clear that such a programme was unacceptable to traditionalists, he distanced himself from the proposal and was willing to accept its dilution. The implementation of concrete policy points was not worth the undermining of his own position of power.