WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:03.200 The German parliament's lobby room was reorganised for the election. 00:00:03.360 --> 00:00:06.400 A centre heated up by spotlights and speculations, 00:00:06.560 --> 00:00:08.200 where forecasts abound, 00:00:08.360 --> 00:00:12.080 opinion pollsters feel anxious and the voters' opinions are revealed. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:15.240 The SPD had expected to gain more votes. 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:18.240 But the real loser was the FDP. 00:00:18.560 --> 00:00:23.280 Undoubtedly one of the reasons was the fact that the two parties 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:25.560 in the government coalition 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:30.120 ran against each other with unprecedented ferocity. 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:33.920 Because of the polarization among the voters, 00:00:35.040 --> 00:00:39.000 FDP voters were pushed in one direction or another, 00:00:39.160 --> 00:00:41.400 and we were not able to keep them 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:43.040 in the election decision. 00:00:43.360 --> 00:00:46.640 "Who is in coalition with whom?" was the night's crucial question. 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:52.480 As party leader, I would like to say 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:55.280 that this is the best result 00:00:55.440 --> 00:00:57.160 we've had so far. 00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:01.440 The distance between CDU-CSU and the SPD 00:01:01.760 --> 00:01:05.680 has been well halved from over 8% to 4%. 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:07.680 I don't know 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:10.720 why there's this discussion about the grand coalition. 00:01:10.880 --> 00:01:13.560 It is not the solution for the moment. 00:01:13.880 --> 00:01:17.920 The CDU-CSU, the strongest party despite its loss of votes, 00:01:18.080 --> 00:01:19.560 also kept its options open. 00:01:19.880 --> 00:01:23.120 I always... I never made a secret out of it 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:25.840 that I am convinced 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.600 that continuing with the grand coalition under all circumstances 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:34.680 should be tied up with a clear agreement 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:36.520 on voting rights. 00:01:36.960 --> 00:01:38.720 Just now, 00:01:38.880 --> 00:01:41.520 I got a phone call from President Nixon, 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:43.920 in which he congratulated us 00:01:44.080 --> 00:01:46.240 on the election results. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.000 You can't expect me 00:01:49.320 --> 00:01:52.920 to now triumphantly say that the slogan 00:01:53.080 --> 00:01:55.840 "It all comes down to the Chancellor" 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.960 was decisive. 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:00.400 I think in some way I contributed to this... 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:03.120 The young union even used Germany's national anthem 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.160 to celebrate Kurt Georg Kiesinger. 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:08.200 But only the coalition talks will reveal 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:10.240 the reputation of the Chancellor. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:12.560 It all comes down to him. 00:02:12.720 --> 00:02:18.080 It all comes down to the Chancellor It all comes down to the Chancellor