US embassy cable - 04FRANKFURT2367

UNCLAS FRANKFURT 002367 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, GM 
SUBJECT: Pro-U.S. Rheinland-Pfalz Leader Kurt Beck Remains 
Strong Despite Faltering Social Democrats 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Rheinland-Pfalz Minister-President since 
1994, Kurt Beck (SPD/Social Democratic) is one of the most 
popular leaders in the traditionally conservative state's 
60-year history.  Economic indices in R-P remain relatively 
strong at a time of national stagnation, and Beck's coalition 
government with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) is the 
only one of its kind in Germany.  Beck supports Chancellor 
Schroeder and the government's Agenda 2010 economic reform 
package and consistently takes a more pro-U.S. stance than 
many others in the SPD.  Well-informed insiders claim Beck 
has no national political ambitions.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) Traditionally a conservative state (and home of 
former Christian Democratic (CDU) Chancellor Helmut Kohl), 
Rheinland-Pfalz voters elected Beck as Minister-President 
in 1994 and re-elected him in 1996 and 2001.   Beck's 
moderate and consensus-oriented approach has garnered him 
considerable support within the CDU opposition as well as 
his own party.  Beck spoke out in support of U.S. forces 
during the war in Iraq and has tried to improve commercial 
ties with the U.S., particularly with R-P's sister-state 
South Carolina. 
 
3. (U) Although the SPD is currently not polling well in 
R-P (a reflection of nationwide trends), Beck retains a 
high personal approval rating in contrast to Christian 
Democrat opposition leader Christoph Boehr  indeed, Beck 
is regarded as the most popular SPD Minister-President 
nationwide.  Beck's recent election as SPD deputy chairman 
fueled speculation that he might have a future at the 
national level.  Beck is an important stalwart for 
Chancellor Schroeder in predominantly conservative SW 
Germany.  The SPD-FDP coalition in R-P also appeals to a 
chancellor looking for bipartisan support for economic 
reforms. 
 
4. (SBU) Observers, however, see a move to the national 
level as unlikely.  Mainz University's Dr. Juergen Falter 
asserts that Beck is too provincial to have a future in 
Berlin.  In Falter's opinion, Beck's professional 
background -- he is trained as an electrician, with limited 
academic or university experience  could affect his 
chances for a ministerial portfolio at the national level 
(although it strengthens his "working-man" appeal for many 
in the mostly-rural Rheinland-Pfalz).  Falter cites as a 
further caveat other popular politicians from R-P who have 
tried to become national figures and failed, most notably 
former R-P Minister-President Rudolf Scharping (SPD) and R- 
P FDP head Rainer Bruderle (although at least one other 
- former chancellor Helmut Kohl - succeeded). 
 
. 
 
5.  (SBU) Beck's press spokesperson, Monika Fuhr, confided 
to us that Beck sees his future in R-P.  She maintains that 
Beck himself never sought a national party position but 
yielded to pressure from the R-P SPD to build stronger 
linkages between Rheinland-Pfalz and decision-makers in 
Berlin.  Fuhr says that Beck remains committed to 
Rheinland-Pfalz and has no interest in assuming a position 
in the national government. 
 
6. (SBU) Although Beck seldom comments on national 
politics, his new position as deputy party chair ties him 
more closely to the national SPD and could make 
him more vulnerable to increasing dissatisfaction with 
Schroeder's administration.  Coalition partner FDP also has 
mixed feelings about the M-P's increased responsibilities 
and fears it could tarnish the R-P coalition's solid 
reputation. 
 
7. (SBU) COMMENT: Beck's moderate views and pro-U.S. stance 
have made him a valuable local partner for the USG on a 
number of issues, and his support will facilitate smooth 
implementation of upcoming force restructuring within 
Rheinland-Pfalz, which hosts 24,700 active-duty U.S. 
troops.  Although his new position with the national SPD 
could bring more fire his way on economic and reform 
issues, Beck has shown remarkable resiliency in his eight 
years as Minister-President and, given the lack of a 
credible challenger from the CDU opposition or within his 
own party, he likely will continue to hold the reins of 
power in Rheinland-Pfalz until the 2006 elections and 
beyond.  END COMMENT. 
 
BODDE