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AP Photo/Michel Euler/PA File

Angela Merkel approval rating up after EU summit

The German Chancellor’s popularity has risen to its highest level since she was re-elected in 2009.

ANGELA MERKEL’S popularity has risen to its highest level since 2009, when she was re-elected as the German Chancellor.

Merkel’s support stands at 66 per cent, according to the latest poll.

The figures published by Infratest-ARD also show that 58 per cent of Germans support her strategy for tackling the eurozone crisis, although more than eight out of ten poll respondents said that they are worried that the worst of the crisis still lies ahead.

The parliamentary leader of the main opposition party came in joint second place with German finance minister Wolfgag Schäuble with 61 per cent approval in the opinion poll.

The poll was carried out earlier this week among 1,004 people.

Meanwhile, a group of German economists has criticised the decisions agreed by eurozone leaders at last week’s summit, saying that they risk increasing the exposure of taxpayers to the debts of struggling banks. In an open letter to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, more than 160 economists wrote that the proposed ‘banking union’ means collective liability for the debts of the eurosystem banks.

Merkel rejected their criticism, saying that the proposal is “absolutely not about any additional liability”.

She said that the summit moves are “about better banking supervision, and one can only say that that is urgently necessary”.

- Additional reporting by the AP and AFP

Explainer: What did the EU leaders agree overnight in Brussels? >

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27 Comments
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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    Sep 21st 2020, 12:31 PM

    Wechat is an app worth investigating because every last bit of data in that is going towards Chinas social credits systems. The CCP had no fuss in banning Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google, Whatsapp et al. But the U.S does this on two apps and they throw tantrums.

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    Mute Marie Broomfield
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    Sep 21st 2020, 12:41 PM

    @Paul Cunningham: just becasue they ban the use of social media doen’t meant the west should do it also in retaliation. That would be mad! Trump has given no evidnece to his claims of spying however and it is a bit niave to think it is for the protection of citizens he’s doing it. Every single platform out there is gathering information. We all willinly offer our data for free.

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    Mute There is no hope for humanity!
    Favourite There is no hope for humanity!
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    Sep 21st 2020, 12:48 PM

    @Paul Cunningham: not going to have debate with you the reasons, if they follow the law, then they are allowed doing business in China, but do they want to?

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    Mute Kate Colbert
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    Sep 21st 2020, 12:59 PM

    @Paul Cunningham: Strange comment. Sounds like you’re advocating particular laws while at the same time implying that they shouldn’t be allowed.

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    Mute Shengjie Xu
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    Sep 21st 2020, 2:01 PM

    @Paul Cunningham: agree both countries are hypocrites. WeChat links to social credit system is completely BS. Mostly it’s for communication and hook up.

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    Mute Seriousnojoke
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    Sep 21st 2020, 5:59 PM

    @Paul Cunningham: This “social credit system” is another piece of western propaganda against China. WeChat has nothing to do with it because it simply isn’t what’s described by the media at all. Most Chinese people would laugh when seeing your comment.

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    Mute Dean
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    Sep 21st 2020, 1:01 PM

    Shutting down a means of communication is worrisome.

    The American regime is little too authoritarian. If they can’t buy up the competition, they ban them. Until they can buy them.

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    Mute Mary Morrisey
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    Sep 21st 2020, 5:43 PM

    @Dean: Election interference concerns, be damned!

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    Mute Quiet Goer
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    Sep 21st 2020, 1:30 PM

    I hope trim succeeds with this one

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    Mute Mary Morrisey
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    Sep 21st 2020, 5:41 PM

    Ever noticed how all the judges who overturn these decisions are West Coast or NY? And they usually lose when appealed?

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