German Chancellor Candidate Scholz Calls For New 'Eastern Policy' In Europe

Candidate for the German chancellorship and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader, Olaf Scholz, said on Wednesday that Europe needs a new "Eastern Policy," similar to that of Willy Brandt, who served as the chancellor of Germany in 1969-1974

BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2021) Candidate for the German chancellorship and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader, Olaf Scholz, said on Wednesday that Europe needs a new "Eastern Policy," similar to that of Willy Brandt, who served as the chancellor of Germany in 1969-1974.

"The Eastern policy of Willy Brandt was a liberating change. German reunification and European unity would have been unthinkable without Willy Brandt... Now we need a new European 'Eastern policy'," Scholz said on Twitter.

The SPD gained the majority of votes in parliamentary elections on September 26. The party managed to outpace the Christian democrats, who have dominated the German political landscape since 2005.

The Eastern policy was carried out during the Cold War and was aimed at establishing closer relations between the Federal Republic of Germany, backed by Western countries, and the German Democratic Republic, controlled by the USSR. The policy also entailed restoring relations with eastern European socialist countries. Willy Brandt was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his political endeavors in 1971.