Bonn - The Social Democrats (SPD) yesterday chose as speaker of the new parliament a former civil servant in communist East Germany who has led the SPD in that part of the country since reunification.
The SPD and its ally, the Greens, have a 21-seat majority after winning the general election on September 27th, and Mr Wolfgang Thierse (54) is almost certain to be elected speaker when the lower house convenes for the first time on October 26th.