Schmidt set for easy win

Press, 6 October 1980, Page 7

Schmidt set for easy win

NZPA-Reuter Bonn The coalition headed by Chancellor Helnmt Schmidt seems likely to win a comfortable victory today in the West German election for a new Parliament.

The supremely confident Chancellor, who is 61, told his final campaign rally in West Berlin: ’Tin looking forward to getting back to my normal work in Bonn on Monday.”

' An opinion poll published yesterday suggested that Mr I Schmidt, leader of the Social i Democratic Party and his i Free Democratic colleague, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, won 'many undecided voters in I Thursday’s television debate ' with conservative Opposition ! 1: leaders. i tj The survey, published by i . j the Sunday newspaper,; II “Weld Am Sonntag,” said 49 I; per cent of the previously undecided voters thought the . Government leaders came out best in the debate, while only 41 per cent thought the Opposition leader, Franz Josef Strauss, won the discussion. Mr Strauss, who is 65. candidate of the Christian Democrats and the Christian Social Union, wound up the campaign in his native Bavaria apparently undaunted by predictions of victory for Mr Schmidt. Calling for an “historic shift” in German politics after 11 years of Left-liberal rule, the Bavarian Premier said he wanted to stop “the march along the one-wav street to the socialist social . order and a neutralised Europe.” Mr Strauss had argued . throughout the campaign that Mr Schmidt was wreck- . ing Bonn’s traditional ties with the United States and . being soft in his dealings ! with the Soviet Union. The Chancellor had de- * rided his opponent as a ! “bull in a china shop” who 1 lacked the ability to pursue 1 detente with West Germa- ‘ ny’s neighbours or preserve < domestic social peace.