German Party Names Candidate
The opposition Social Democrats chose Johannes Rau as their candidate for chancellor today after he demanded that U.S. nuclear missiles be withdrawn from West Germany. He also urged the Soviets to reduce their missile strength and said he would cancel participation in the U.S. “Star Wars” program.
The left-leaning party voted 425 to 1 with three abstentions to make him the leader of its ticket in national elections Jan. 25. Rau will face conservative Chancellor Helmut Kohl, a staunch U.S. ally, and polls indicate that the Social Democrats face an uphill battle in the contest.
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