Karlsruhe, Germany, Nov 15, SPA -- Germany's Social Democrats onTuesday elected Matthias Platzeck, a state governor fromthe formerly communist east, as their new chairman,bringing a younger face to the party as it heads into aconservative-led government, reported AP today. A party conference gave Platzeck near-unanimous support asthe center-left party of outgoing Chancellor GerhardSchroeder hurried to put behind it a sudden leadershipcrisis that emerged two weeks ago. Only two delegatesopposed Platzeck, one abstained and 512 voted for him.--SPA1443 Local Time 1143 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/302850