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GERMANY’S ANGELA MERKEL said the rise of populist parties in European Parliament elections was “remarkable and regrettable” and the answer was to push European competitiveness, jobs and growth.
After her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won the German vote, the chancellor praised the “solid result” of the conservatives in her country and Europe-wide.
However, she shied away from saying that the conservatives’ top candidate Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg should automatically be the next European Commission president to succeed Jose Manuel Barroso.
With neither the conservative European People’s Party nor the Socialists having won a clear majority of 376 seats, she said “there must be talks” on who fills the post of European Commission president.
She said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy would now lead talks with faction leaders of the European Parliament – a body which has demanded a greater say on who fills the top post.
The talks would deal both with who should take the EU’s top executive post and with issues such as how to fight “unemployment, the question of how we can become competitive and how we can create growth,” Merkel said.
On the rise of populist and eurosceptic parties, including of the far-right National Front in France, she said “it’s quite remarkable and regrettable, but now the point is to win those voters back”.
That’s also true for France, and I think that a policy that aims at competitiveness, growth and jobs is the best answer to the disappointment of those who voted in a way that we don’t like.
She urged a course in European politics that “reaches the people. They are not interested in questions such as ‘treaty change, yes or no?’ but in the question of how Europe affects them and their lives.”
And with unemployment as high as the current level, with such a situation in some countries, this means that there is insufficient trust, and that has to get better in the next five years.
She said “France is indeed on a remarkable reform path, and I think this has put it on track in order for France to have more success and growth.”
On the German result, she said, “We are pleased that the (Christian Democratic) Union was the strongest force, with a significant margin over the Social Democrats, and that we could make a contribution to the European People’s Party being the strongest faction.”
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But Angela, surely you have been focusing on jobs growth and employment for years now? Haven’t you!?
Germany has had remarkable economic success following precisely the policies being pursued by the current Irish Government. They may not be popular but they work. As can be seen from the rise in the number of people in employment over the past year. But logic does not apply in populism. SF have two years to demonstrate at the local level how its policies are so much better than the Governments. I for one will be demanding that not one promise is broken. And if they break one promise I will be calling them typical liars.
So sean by the same token you have called the present government liars?
this still makes me laugh….promises promises!
http://electioncamp.eu/sites/default/files/5%20Point%20Plan%20A4%20Brochure%20WEB.pdf
Vote Yes to Lisbon for 100,000 jobs…remember that one yee were codded by
Sean you ate painfully misinformed mate. Germany did v focused and limited austerity mostly focused on waste then did a MASSIVE €40,000,000,000 stimulus package…we did pretty much the opposite
Austerity never works historically sucking billions out of consumer pockets only feeds into a downward cycle: cuts = less consumer spending = less employment which combined = less tax revenue which = bigger or stubborn deficit which seems to require more austerity…cycle starts over.
Their model worked precisely because it was NOT based on this moronic approch
Ryan economics 101
Law of Diminishing Returns….
A 10 year old could have grasped the concept and yet both FG and Labour could not
Well said Ryan, add to that the relatively low unemployment rates experienced by Germany adds to a higher number of people paying into the exchequer and a lower number relying on it and the pain of paying for this austerity is shared more equitably.
Ryan I think we are talking about different times. Your reference is to the German response to 2008. I am talking about the reforms and austerity of the mid 90s.
What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Funny thing, though. In the bailout years, Ireland has increased taxes, reduced expenditure and thus reduced the deficit in each year. This is supposedly impossible, which means either the CSO’s figures are wrong or the Keynesians are wrong.
Sean Germany is in a golden age for exports because they are linked to countries like Ireland meaning they trade in a currency that is 10% to 15% than what the Mark would be. That’s why they are doing so well. That and the fact they are Germany.
But never mind that. Just continue the bull Edna is feeding you.
Sean Germany ran a deficit despite all that..at times I might add when our books were balanced.
Germans do a lot of good for Europe as does many German policies the contribute to ecb it was their savings we blew as credit in the boom I’m not saying they’re boogy men as some do but their states not this right wing paragon even their conservative govts are to the left of ff and fg.
But Sean hasn’t Labour and Diana Gael been lying to us for the last 3 years.
And most of those jobs created are job bridge or other,not real jobs at all.
Keynesian s are right. We are all dead soon
Sean South maybe Inda mislaid his 5 point plan, perhaps you could send it to him?
Germany did not apply the same policies as they now expect Ireland to. They did adjust their economy and their budget deficit however they did in while Europe. As a whole was growing, fuelled by growth in countries such as Ireland Spain etc. This allowed Germany to embrace austerity in relative term but they did not have to shrink their Economy in real terms. They could achieve much of this by wage restraint but did not have to cut wages in real term. Cutting wages in reveal term is very difficult to do so wage bills are normally cut by layoffs, again Germany was spared this.
If Germany want Europe to be like them and balance the budget they must provide the economic stimulus, however they are also cutting spending. What they expect Ireland to achieve is not difficult and unpalatable but impossible.
Germany has exported her austerity to the rest of Europe – time to give it back.
Maybe get them to Vote again…isin’t that how its done Angela?
The EU’s covert drive to federalisation is one of the main reasons people are increasingly voting for extremist parties.The French people in a referndum rejected the EU constiution.So did the Dutch.Instead of listening to the people,the bureacrats came up with the Lisbon treaty.This in turn was rejected by the Irish people.They were ignored and with the help of a heavy scaremongering media campaign,it was passed at the second time of asking.
The faceless EU bureaucrats have ignored the wishes of the European people at every turn.For them the ‘project’ is more important then the wishes of the people,even if it means the ruin of Southern Euopean nations.The EU is destroying European unity.
Well put Infidel…its a bit much to hear Merkel crying about Populist Parties when her actions have given rise to them!
It’s called Democracy Angela.
Looks like UKip and La pen has her worried. She will go down as the main instigator of the break up of the Eu
So she thinks that other people having their say is “regrettable”. How… autocratic of her.
Like Veradker , who said he does not believe that referendums are “very democratic”.
http://www.thejournal.ie/varadkar-referendums-are-not-very-democratic-340909-Jan2012/
“The rise of popular parties is remarkable and regrettable.”
Damn you democracy, damn you.
“Populist”, not “Popular”.
“Populist” – of the people and for the people. Yes, I can see why she and her ilk would find that ‘remarkable and regrettable’. With her country’s history she, of all people, should be aware that extremists rise when people become desperate due to poverty. the Philosopher Hegel said “What does history teach us? It teaches us that we learn nothing from history.”
It is precisely because of her country’s history that she regrets the rise of populist parties. Populism is what got Ireland into trouble under Bertie. Populism is what got Germany into trouble under Adolf.
“populist” is not “popular”
Populist parties don’t actually try and advance the interests of the majority. It is in fact a derogatory term for parties that seek the maximum consensus by proposals that have mass appeal but which cannot be reasonably put into practice without grave damage to the economy.
Giovani, nicely put. That should have been explained on the polling card to some people.
Is it not a bit populist to complain about populism?
To try and compare 1930s German Weimar depression and unemployment and hyper inflation and national socialist poupularism to 2014 Europe Euro skeptism takes some leap of faith. Sean O Regan
She’d put satan to shame that one!!
Can you explain what you mean please?
What a horrible woman, I don t fancy her one bit
neither does Silvio Berlusconni, judging by recent comments.
everyone needs to forget this left/right nonsense, You are either pro individual or pro State, thats why up until now it made no difference who you voted for or why Lenny and the gang couldnt even see that they were doing anything wrong. We need to see a huge swing in the pendulum back to individual rights and away from banker led superstate nonsense.
@Dee4 – Great comment!
I agree, but I don’t see it happening any time soon. Statist nonsense is drilled into us from an early age, to the point where most people don’t even realise that there is any other possibility. It’s all just different forms of statism. Look at the endless arguments about whether our budget problems are caused by bankers (boo!) or overspending. It’s two sides of the same coin. If politicians didn’t treat people’s money as their plaything, we wouldn’t have either problem in the first place.
Great comment, it sounds like a libertarian philosophy. I guess this would also mean choosing the individual over other forms of “pro state” intervention, such as the social welfare state.
@Emily , true , it wont be by choice or ballot box, it will be a forced reset of some sort through defaults etc. the question is how much misery in the meantime will be inflicted as the statists will just see the solution in terms of higher taxes and more authoritarian government
She has lost her austerity audience, boo hoo boo hoo. I wish for no more than to bash the europeans who support Angela policies namely Fine Gael and Labour. My vote did them in.
“Get shafted and stay quiet” in other words
Berlusconi said it best
The bag of lard?
Merkel has now realize that the people of the so called smaller states have woken up to Germany and Frances 3 card trick of getting the rest of us to pay for gambling of both german and French bankers Ireland has finally sent out the right people to Europe and there going to be asking some long and hard questions heir Merkel
Don’t forget all those eejits who voted in the politicians who appointed the regulators who oversaw the banks. You know, “the general public”.
That’s not the mandate that these so called politicians were given
That’s not the mandate that these so called politicians were given
I don’t follow you?
“The rise of popular parties is remarkable and regrettable” Ja and in my grandfathers day we had a way of dealing with dissent, would that we could set examples like the good old days!
She will never shake off her Stasi past.
“The rise of popular parties is remarkable and regrettable”
Well thats democracy for you angie. Quite frankly, her statement is disturbing, especially if you say it with a german accent.
Populist*!!! There is an important difference between popular and populist.
Junkers aim?
“‘If it’s a Yes we will say “on we go”, and if it’s a No we will say “we continue”.’
(Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Council)
She is surprised at the rise of popular parties seriously??
No, re-read the article with a dictionary.
“it’s quite remarkable and regrettable” she said I don’t need a dictionary thanks! Do you?
“Populist”, not “popular”. Different meanings.
Vee vill not haves this, zay must be crushed snell snell
Must be a great worry in Brussels and your own party that people can still decide that their own rights and needs are more important than what the self appointed leaders of Europe want.
Angela, Perhaps the EU could have ensured proper banking regulation by the ECB and not allow banker gambling at the expense of ordinary workers? MEP’s/Brussels/ECB did a very bad job monitoring banking and integration of the Euro. Why I should pay for the gambling of finanical institutions who keep all profits for themselves but if they lose ask me to pay? People suffer heavily to pay off rich financial instituions where is honesty and responsibility – Ehrlichkeit und Vernantwordung – Where is social democracy? EUforced Irish people to pay ALL banking debts, increase taxes, cut services, bankrupt the country, and lose 10% of our population ‘Emigationswelle’ and you say this is a surprise? How will be if Germany loses 6mln (10%) of it’s people? Ich verstehe Sie nicht?
ww3 edges ever closer
Yeh. Let’s not have them popularist parties, Angela, with all their ideas. Down with them I say!!
@Snorre thanks – I’ll sleep much better now. It’s healthy to have constructive opposition in Europe. Decent, principled guys like the National Front and Golden Dawn.
“Decent, principled guys like the National Front and Golden Dawn”…..no more nor no less principled that Ms. Merkel and her hoards serving the venture capitalist and white collar criminals. Rogered by Ms. Merkel is as gruesome a thought as a regering by Ms. Le Pen
Like her or dislike her.. she’s an incredible political operator.. Germany completely bucked the EU trend of voting in hard left/right parties and endorsed her and her policies.
Course it did. The entire continent has its economic policy set to meet German needs, has for a decade, with very predictable and evident results.
It’s not difficult to be a successful prime minister in Germany right now. She will get her dues when a few countries leave the Eu and she gets the blame
Staggering arrogance from Frau Merkel and her henchmen on the European Commission, last night Jean-Claude Juncker had the following Tweet;
‘Without knowing the final result, we know that the @EPP has come out in the lead+ that I am fully entitled to become Commission President’
‘Fully entitled’, I thought it was a parody account but for the verification on his profile.
“I have never understood why public opinion about European ideas should be taken into account at all,”
(French PM Raymond Barre)
I wonder how many comments we can get through without referencing Hitler and/or the second world war.
Don’t worry about the 3rd Reich David but be very afraid of the 4th Reich
I think people are fed up with paying to keep the German cow’s economy safe.The last time Germany tried to take over Europe it all ended in tears for them, remember?
‘Remarkable and regrettable’? Really Ms Merkel? Regrettable! Are your Machiavellian policies and under-hand domestic-bank-saving-bond-holder-repayment schemes not almost 100% the reason the voting public(sorry again that our votes were against your and many of the trough feeders in power) voted in the way they did! Are we not permitted to vote with a consciousness embedded in democracy? Are we just remarkable as we are regrettable? Never, EVER forget Ms Politician that you are where you are because you were voted there… To our eternal shame!!
It’s remarkable that the European Peoples Party has no presents in UK !
Look no further than your economic policies Angela
Is it “popular” or “populist”
Gulp! I guess the “unpopular” or “unpopulist” had better thank their lucky stars!
Mein Gott!
Only regrettable thing is your still in power in Germany
Regettable for the German Witch maybe but good news for the rest of us!
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