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onehandle

(51,122 posts)
Mon May 7, 2012, 01:13 PM May 2012

Germany Austerity Policies: Berlin Unmoved By Votes In France, Greece

Source: Reuters

BERLIN, May 7 (Reuters) - Germany is ruling out any substantive shift in its approach to Europe's debt crisis despite a rising chorus of opposition to Berlin's austerity policies that reached a crescendo in Sunday's elections in Greece and France.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Berlin on Monday, rejected the notion that Europe was on the brink of a major policy shift after Socialist Francois Hollande defeated her fellow conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and Greek voters punished ruling parties who slashed spending to secure a foreign bailout.

Shunned by Merkel, who publicly backed Sarkozy's campaign, Hollande repeatedly criticised Germany's focus on budget cuts and labour law reforms as the solution to Europe's debt crisis. Many saw his victory and the outcome in Greece as heralding a shift in Europe toward higher-spending growth-oriented policies.

But close Merkel allies made clear within hours that the expectation in Berlin was that it would be Hollande who would be making the lion's share of the concessions, and rowing back on policy promises made during the French campaign which the Germans view as dangerous for the entire single-currency bloc.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/07/germany-austerity-berlin-unmoved-by-votes_n_1496077.html



Hmm. Germany staying firmly Right, while its neighbors go Left.

Seems familiar.

Something about tanks and the Maginot Line...



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Germany Austerity Policies: Berlin Unmoved By Votes In France, Greece (Original Post) onehandle May 2012 OP
"Can this marriage be saved?" nt bemildred May 2012 #1
I believe that the German people themselves are just as upset over the truedelphi May 2012 #2
So Angela Merkel flies to Athens, at passport control she has her passport examined.. truebrit71 May 2012 #3
Very German stereotype behavior ... throwing down the gaunlet, closed minded, tryannical Lionessa May 2012 #4
Well germany has to undergo austerity 4th law of robotics May 2012 #5
NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! nradisic May 2012 #6

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)
2. I believe that the German people themselves are just as upset over the
Mon May 7, 2012, 01:31 PM
May 2012

The fact that only the Corporate Monopolies count, in terms of influencing the people at the top.

I hear my German friends expressing the same sort of angst that I knew of when prices for things were escalating here in the USA back in 2005-06. It is a bubble economy there, just as it was here, and the fact that only the rich have their fortunes insured is not a comfort to the middle class.

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
3. So Angela Merkel flies to Athens, at passport control she has her passport examined..
Mon May 7, 2012, 01:43 PM
May 2012

Passport Officer "Name?"
A.M. "Angela Merkel"
Passport Officer "Occupation?"
A.M. "Nein, I am only here for ze weekend..."

 

Lionessa

(3,894 posts)
4. Very German stereotype behavior ... throwing down the gaunlet, closed minded, tryannical
Mon May 7, 2012, 02:31 PM
May 2012

in its own way, ....

How in the world does she think this is the right way to approach this? Is she just that far in the pockets of the power elite? I don't understand hers or any of the extreme conservatives' blindness on the failure of extreme austerity with no other remedy offered for growth side or income inequality reform.

 

4th law of robotics

(6,801 posts)
5. Well germany has to undergo austerity
Mon May 7, 2012, 03:39 PM
May 2012

so they can continue to finance greece.

Where did they think that money came from?

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