constructive vote of no-confidence

During the 1970s the SPD debates a new party program. The party members discuss the social-democratic position toward future policies relating to peace, environment, energy, and economics. Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt - successor to Brandt as chief of the government - fails to channelize the intra-party debate. A growing number of SPD members see Schmidt only as a crisis manager and technocrat. Against this, the talent of Party Chairman Willy Brandt in drawing party members into a dialog is valued all the more highly by party members who hope that he will provide the impulse for a programmatic renewal of the Party.

In the Bundestag elections of 1980 the SPD and FDP improve their position while the union parties (CDU and CSU) lose 4,1 % of the votes with their candidate for Federal Chancellor, Franz-Josef Strauß. However, in September 1982 the social-liberal coalition of the SPD and FDP breaks apart mainly over economic and budgetary disputes. Helmut Schmidt feels forced to dismiss FDP ministers from his cabinet. A few days later at a meeting of the Party Committee, Willy Brandt supports the decision of the Federal Chancellor.

Helmut Schmidt is deposed through a constructive vote of no-confidence in the Bundestag (Lower House of the German Parliament) on October 1, 1982. Helmut Kohl (CDU) is elected Federal Chancellor. After thirteen years of governmental responsibility, the SPD once again assumes the role of opposition.

The SPD suffers a large loss of votes in the Bundestag elections in March 1983. The elections confirm the Christian-Liberal coalition of the CDU/CSU and FDP under Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl. Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP) remains Foreign Minister. For the first time the "Green" Party gains entrance to the Bundestag. The Social Democrats recognize that they face competition from within the "Eco Party" to which they have already lost many votes. As early as 1977 Willy Brandt had recognized the new Party, with the admonition that "the SPD must itself become in part a Green Party".

Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl in conversation with Willy Brandt on February 18, 1987 ©Bundesbildstelle

The rise of the Greens and the protests of the peace movement against nuclear rearmament at the beginning of the 1980s had considerable impact on the discussions about a new social-democratic identity. Willy Brandt becomes Chairman of a Commission that will develop the new Party program. The Godesberger Program of 1959 is to be replaced by a more current program. After two years of work, the Commission presents its draft program. The so-called Irsee Draft (named after the location of the Commission's final meeting) draws upon basic social-democratic positions from the Godesberger Program. At the same time, the draft delivers answers about the most important economic, social, environmental, and ethical questions at the end of the Twentieth Century. The essentials of the Irsee Draft are taken over in the Berlin Program of the SPD which is approved in December 1989 and which replaces the Godesberger Program.

In the spring of 1987 the position of SPD Party speaker is to be filled. Willy Brandt's proposal of a female candidate meets with strong criticism within the Party. For Brandt this is the occasion to retire as Party Chairman at the extraordinary Party Conference in Bad Godesberg. Brandt takes this step to cut short what he sees as an unsuitable discussion concerning the personality of his successor within the Party.
 

Willy Brandt after his farewell address as SPD Chairman on June 14, 1987 ©Bundesbildstelle

In an impressive farewell address to the Party Conference Willy Brandt summarizes the motives of his political thought and action, strikes a balance of political effectiveness, and points out to the Party perspectives that will show it the way back to governmental responsibility in Bonn. Willy Brandt promises his friends in the Party that he will not jump ship but will continue to make available his experience in the German and European social-democratic movement.

Willy Brandt remains honorary Chairman of the SPD until his death. Hans-Jochen Vogel is elected his successor as SPD Party chairman.