The newly-established National Democratic Party, the first neo-Nazi party in West Germany to seek official nationwide recognition, emerged from yesterday’s Parliamentary elections with only 2 percent of the vote. In view of the strong attendance at recent rallies of the neo-Nazi group, political observers had predicted that the party would poll up to 5 percent.
The observers warned, however, that the strength of the National Democratic Party should not be under-estimated, since the 2 percent ratio corresponds to nearly 500, 000 votes. In Nuremberg, the birthplace of Hitler’s racist policies, the neo-Nazi group won 6 percent of the vote.
With Chancellor Ludwig Erhard and his Christian Democratic Party retaining their leadership of the West German Government coalition, Bonn’s pro-Israel policy is certain to continue. Two days before the elections, the Chancellor had told a press conference he intended to improve relations with Israel further, regardless of his desire to normalize relations with the Arab countries. He made it clear he wants to meet with the next Israeli Premier after Israel’s forthcoming Knesset elections.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
