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German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the media as part of a meeting with Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland, at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The post Germany’s Merkel Won’t Interfere in Choice of Party Leader first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Chancellor Angela Merkel sat down on Wednesday as she welcomed Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Berlin to the tune of military bands playing national anthems outside the chancellery.

This was the third time she has chosen to sit for such a state reception following the three trembling episodes that occurred during public appearances in June and July. The instances, which made international headlines, raised rumors about the state of her health. She addressed those concerns directly on Tuesday during her first post-holiday appearance at a reader forum hosted by the Ostsee-Zeitung newspaper in the northeastern coastal town of Stralsund.

While answering questions from the roughly 200 audience members, German magazine Der Spiegel quoted her as saying, “I do understand that people have these questions and that some of them worry. That’s why I have a duty to assess whether I can fulfill my tasks well, or whether something is affecting me so much that I perhaps can’t.”

Merkel has already said she would not contest another general election, and there were signs this week that the notoriously reserved chancellor was beginning to open up emotionally in the final leg of her tenure. “I have always managed to find a space where I can be sad without having to tell the entire public about it,” she said. Without such spaces, she added, it would be “very difficult to always be happy in public.”

Breaking up the coalition?

There are plenty of signs that the tail end of the Merkel era could be among the most challenging. While the next general election is scheduled for 2021, political circumstances could yet bring it about earlier.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD), junior partners in her coalition government, is still struggling in the latest opinion polls, scoring between 12% and 14%. It is also in the process of choosing a new leader after the resignation of Andrea Nahles in June, following the party’s abysmal result in the European elections.

The choice could prove fateful, since a more left-leaning SPD chief could theoretically drag the party out of the coalition in order to fight a new election, possibly betting on a future alliance with the increasingly popular Greens and the socialist Left party.

Merkel was a little prickly when this possibility was brought up at Tuesday’s reader forum, saying that she hadn’t heard any suggestion of an impending breakup from the SPD ministers in her cabinet, the SPD Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, or the Social Democrats’ three interim party leaders.

There were, she added, more important things to discuss anyway: “Every day we discuss the question: What would happen if? We have to discuss the question: What should we do now?”

But Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) could have its own problems looming. Many in the CDU’s ranks seem to have cold feet about her successor as party leader, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who, as things stand, would be the CDU’s candidate for chancellor.

Those worries were likely not assuaged by a June Emnid survey of some 1,000 German voters from different parties that showed Kramp-Karrenbauer’s rival, Friedrich Merz, who narrowly lost the run-off election to become CDU party leader, garnering nearly twice as much support as her as a potential candidate for chancellor.

Upcoming problems: Climate crisis and the ‘black zero’

As far as immediate concerns go, Merkel has also been confronted by the Green party’s growing popularity and the topic of climate change topping the political agenda.

In response to Green party leader Robert Habeck’s suggestion earlier this week that the state should consider taking on some new debt to pay for major investments in climate-protection projects, Merkel (through her spokesman Steffen Seibert) insisted that the government could achieve all the necessary climate goals within its current budget. “That too is sustainability,” Seibert said in Monday’s regular press conference.

Read more: Germany’s Green leader sorry for linking Angela Merkel’s shaking to climate crisis

Balancing the state budget has become something of a fetish for the Finance Ministry under Merkel, regardless of which party has occupied the minister’s seat. She and her current finance minister, Scholz, have been on the same page when it comes to maintaining Germany’s precious fiscal “black zero.”

“We can manage the necessary tasks without taking on more debt,” he said on Monday.

But debt could conceivably become a point of contention if a future coalition were to involve the Greens and Merkel’s CDU under either Kramp-Karrenbauer or Merz.

Nevertheless, Merkel’s financial caution did not stop her from underlining to the Stralsrund audience that she had been “touched” by Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future climate campaign.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/worries-on-the-horizon-for-angela-merkel/a-50025036

The post Worries on the horizon for Angela Merkel first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) (L), the Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) (C) and the Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) (R) hold a discussion in the German parliament on March 22, 2018. © M. Popow / Global Look Press

No sooner has Germany finally got its new government than its head engages in a bitter dispute with a key minister and a crucial ally. Such conflicts may prove fatal to the futures both of the ruling coalition and its members.

Just days after German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s fourth cabinet was sworn in, the perceived tranquillity in Europe’s powerhouse following the months of uncertainty was again disturbed – this time by the newly appointed interior minister. Horst Seehofer, who is also the leader of Merkel’s longstanding Bavarian allies the Christian Social Union (CSU), provoked yet another bout of controversy by saying that “Islam does not belong to Germany.”

Read more

‘Islam doesn’t belong to Germany’: German interior minister talks tough on immigration

The minister’s statement immediately drew a rebuke from Merkel, who said that “Islam has now become a part of Germany,” and provoked a barrage of criticism from other German parties. What is more important, however, is that it seems to have rekindled an old dispute that has plagued the relations between the two German “sister-parties” and their leaders for quite some time.

Merkel versus Seehofer

Seehofer previously served as prime minister of the German federal state of Bavaria for some ten years. At the height of the refugee crisis, the south-eastern state found itself on the front line, accepting the massive inflow of asylum seekers travelling to Germany via the so-called Balkan route. Being the second-most populous German state, Bavaria also had to take in one of the largest shares of refugees that came to Germany.

As a result of these developments, Seehofer seems to have adopted a much more hardline stance on immigration than Merkel, who stubbornly defends her decision to open German borders for refugees at the height of the refugee crisis. For some three years, the CSU head has been fiercely criticizing his ally for her ‘open door’ policy. He has also long demanded a cap on new arrivals alongside with a much stricter immigration policy.

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) & the head of the Christian Social Union (CSU), Horst Seehofer (R) © Bernd von Jutrczenka / Global Look Press

In the run-up to the latest general election, he stepped up his rhetoric and said that his party would leave the alliance with Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) after the election unless the desired changes to the country’s migrant policy were made. As it turned out, he never delivered on his threats.

Even though the CDU/CSU union emerged as the winner of the latest election, it still suffered a major setback by gaining just 33 percent of the vote and sinking to an all-time low in terms of public support since 1949. As a result, Merkel eventually adopted some of Seehofer’s ideas – including the refugee cap – as the two parties reached a new agreement ahead of the coalition talks.

Read more

Internal border checks must stay until EU can ‘effectively’ shield its borders – German minister

The crisis in relations seemed to be over, but it proved much more long-lived than expected. Seehofer, whose party faces regional elections in October 2018, pledged to win back the voters that turned to the populist, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party against the background of the massive influx of asylum seekers.

He apparently plans to follow through on his promise to do that “head-on” as there are no signs of him toning down his rhetoric. Two days after Merkel slapped him down for challenging the place of Islam in Germany, Seehofer told the German weekly Der Spiegel that he “will not change” his politics, nor his approach to the issue.

Notably, Merkel also repeatedly vowed to win back voters from the AfD. In these endeavours she risks alienating her traditional supporters, who still believe she was right to let the asylum seekers in and are much more afraid of the surge of right-wing populism.

As a result, she apparently decided to have it both ways and appoint Seehofer to the post of Interior Minister while still maintaining her stance on the issues of refugee policy. Notably, she once again justified her decision to open the borders at the height of the refugee crisis in her first speech after the forming of the new government.

Merkel may yet turn out to be too clever by half, as the new government risks becoming deadlocked. Differences in approaches to the interior and particularly immigration policy could lead to more significant conflicts, which could leave all important decisions blocked and the government itself paralyzed.

Fragile Union

Such a situation also risks alienating another member of the current ruling coalition – the Social Democrats (SPD). After receiving only 20.5 percent of the vote in the latest elections in what was called its worst post-war performance, the SPD is going through a rough patch as it desperately seeks to re-shape itself and find people to lead it out of the crisis.

The SPD initially ruled out forming a coalition with the CDU both in the run-up to the September election and afterwards. Months later, the party eventually agreed to form yet another ‘grand coalition’ with Merkel’s Christian Democrats despite facing vehement opposition from some members, especially within the party’s youth wing.

The German parliament debates on the government declaration on March 22, 2018. © M. Popow / Global Look Press

This latest union, of a type which has become so very familiar over Merkel’s 12 years in power, may prove to be the most fragile yet. The differences between the “allies” still run deep as they have almost opposing views on such issues as refugee policy and the future of the EU.

Read more

German far-right AfD surpasses Social Democrats to become 2nd strongest party – poll

Notably, previous coalitions with Merkel have brought the SPD nothing but slumping public support. In 2005, before agreeing to their coalition with Merkel, they received more than 34 percent of the votes, falling first to some 25 percent and then to around 20 percent over the following years.

‘Prepare for turbulent years’

An internal conflict is a bad start for any ruling coalition, especially one that took so much time and effort to be formed. It hardly contributes to the new government’s authority at a time when the level of public support for the coalition partners is falling, with right-wing populists still rising in the background.

Created out of a desire to avoid early voting, fragmenting the German political system and most definitely putting an end to Merkel’s stay in power, the new government looks like a tactical union no one really wanted. At the same time, all its members appear to be planning to use it in their own interests.

“We can prepare for turbulent years,” the head of the German Left party faction in the Bundestag, Dietmar Bartsch, commented on the creation of the new government. He also called it “neither a love-match nor a match of convenience,”adding that “it is just doomed to fail.” Even though the future of the new coalition may not be quite that grim, his assessment might not be too far from the truth.

Kirill Kuznetsov, RT

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Source: https://www.rt.com/news/422224-german-coalition-internal-differences/

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The post Circular firing squad: Germany’s long-awaited government might yet prove to have critical weaknesses first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

BERLIN: Angela Merkel finally begins her fourth term as chancellor Wednesday, ending nearly six months of political deadlock in Germany since September’s inconclusive election.

As her conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the centre-left Social Democrats get ready to govern together once again, here’s a look at the main priorities set out in their coalition agreement, which will guide policy-making for the next four years.

Europe
The power pact thrashed out between the two sides symbolically opens with a chapter called “a new start for Europe” — signalling that efforts to reform the EU will top the incoming government’s agenda as the bloc grapples with rising nationalism, security concerns and an unpredictable US ally in President Donald Trump.

“In a world that’s becoming more complex… it is essential that Europeans stick together,” the new vice-chancellor and finance minister Olaf Scholz said at the coalition treaty’s signing ceremony.

The accord welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious push to overhaul the bloc, pledging to “in close partnership with France, sustainably strengthen and reform the eurozone so that the euro can better withstand global crises”.

As well as agreeing to bolster EU foreign and defence policy, the parties say they are ready to raise Germany’s contributions to the European Union’s budget once Britain leaves.

They also support the creation of a European Monetary Fund that could lend to countries in crisis, but offer only cautious backing for Macron’s idea of a eurozone investment budget — which Berlin fears could translate into a transfer of German cash to troubled economies.

The document makes no mention of Macron’s controversial proposal for a common eurozone finance minister.

Merkel plans to meet with Macron in Paris in coming days to discuss the proposals ahead of an EU summit late next week.

Immigration
Anger over Merkel’s 2015 decision to open the country’s doors to hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers led to a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which scored almost 13 percent in September’s polls.

Smarting from the backlash, the government now aims to cap the annual intake of people seeking safe haven to around 200,000, in line with a long-standing demand of the CSU.

CSU heavyweight and new interior minister Horst Seehofer has vowed to quickly put in place a “master plan” to speed up asylum procedures and deportations. “The number of expulsions must increase significantly,” he said.

At the EU level, Merkel says she continues to expect member states to take in their allocated share of refugees — anathema to some central and eastern European nations.

The chancellor has also reiterated the need to tackle “the root causes of migration” with development aid for the countries of origin, while better securing the bloc’s outer borders.

Future-proofing economy
Europe’s powerhouse economy is booming, with workers enjoying high wages and record-low unemployment.

But that has done little to assuage concerns about globalisation and automation in the workplace, which Scholz says has left “many citizens afraid for their own professional future”.

With its flush public coffers, Merkel’s fourth government aims to address these fears through investments in infrastructure, an offensive to improve the nation’s creaking internet networks, pension reform and more funding for education and life-long learning.

“We are living through a period of change that will probably transform the world as much as the shift from an agrarian to an industrial society,” Merkel has said.

Acknowledging concerns about growing inequality in wealthy Germany, she added that “our country’s prosperity must reach all”.

But while her team is willing to loosen the purse strings to get Germany future-ready, there’s no question of taking on new debts. As in previous years, the coalition partners have pledged to stick to a balanced budget.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2018/03/14/merkel-4-0-top-priorities-of-germanys-new-government/

The post Merkel 4.0: Top priorities of Germany’s new government first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Polls show Mrs Merkel is well on course to finish top of the polls but will have to negotiate a coalition with at least one other party.

Her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party had been in a grand coalition with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) but they are not keen on recreating the arrangement.

That could leave Mrs Merkel scratching around for support in the hope of forming a “Jamaica coalition” with the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Greens.

But there has been hostility between the two potential coalition partners in recent days with the Greens accusing their pro-business rivals of being an “anti-party” that stands against all they hold dear.

Chief of the Greens, Cem Özdemir said recently: “The FDP is an anti-party — they’re anti-climate protection, against more tenants’ rights and social housing, anti-solidarity in Europe.

“I don’t see how we should come together with the FDP.”

They accuse the party’s leader Christian Lindner of populism, seeking the wrong solutions to environmental issues and being too hard line on refugees.

And Mr Özdemir’s Green co-candidate has also ramped up doubts about the potential coalition, saying: “I cannot imagine Jamaica.

“I cannot see how it would work at the national level.”

According to the latest polls, the CDU leads the race with 36 per cent, with the FDP on 10 per cent and the Greens on eight.

Despite the turmoil, the Greens have indicated they would be willing to work with Mrs Merkel, despite rejecting forming a coalition at the last election.

They have also insisted the Greens are “willing to negotiate with all parties except the Alternative for Germany (AfD)”.

The right-wing AfD has gained a surge in support that could well put it in third place behind the CDU and the SPD.

Mrs Merkel now faces the prospect of lengthy negotiations with both parties after the election in a bid to reach a compromise and form a coalition.

However, Mr Linder has also been quoted as saying he does not believe in a Jamaica coalition anymore.

A further obstacle could be caused by the FDP’s demands to get the finance ministry in exchange for joining a coalition.

It would also rule out support if Mrs Merkel supported French plans to deepen fiscal integration in the euro zone.

Current Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, of the CDU, has held the post since 2009 and is the most high-profile member of Mrs Merkel’s cabinet.

But Alexander Hahn, a member of the party’s executive, demanded the ministry should go to someone from his party.

He told the Bild: ”The FDP should enter no government in which it cannot name a finance minister.

On Sunday, Mr Lindner said setting the agenda for Europe was the most important issue for his party in any coalition talks with the conservatives after the September 24 vote.

He told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper: “I fear that Ms Merkel has already agreed to new funding mechanisms (for the EU) with Macron.

“Everything that goes in the direction of financial transfer on the European level, be it a euro zone budget or a banking union, is a red line for us”.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/855585/German-election-Angela-Merkel-CDU-Cem-Ozdemir-Christian-Lindner

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