ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses whether the German national election of October 16, 1994, one of twenty local, state, and European Parliament contests in the "super" election year 1994, was the prototype for one in which voters were dissatisfied with the status quo. The Christian Social Union (CSU) leaders were also confident of success in the October election because they captured in September, once again, an absolute majority of votes in the Bavarian Land election. Polls had shown that CSU voters saw the party as the most competent to deal with the economy and crime. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) domestic and foreign policy proposals were incorporated into an "SPD government program," which was unveiled in March 1994 and was affirmed on June 22 at a special election convention in Halle, Delegates nominated Scharping as the party's candidate for chancellor. The economy began to improve, redounding to the benefit of the Kohl government. Scharping committed a series of faux pas.
