MADRID | By JP Marin Arrese | Angela Merkel is now more powerful as chancellor than before, and the Euro-sceptics have lost their influence over the future of Germany’s and Europe’s issues. However, despite all the good intentions, it is more than likely that Banking Union and the European integration will be relegated to a mere supervisory exercise.
MADRID | By Fernando G. Urbaneja | Chancellor Angela Merkel has skilfully governed both Germany and Europe with ambiguity between her pragmatic proposals at home, and her tough declarations outside. Her victory opens a new stage for the German government and for Europe. She has become stronger, although she still needs to seduce.
FRANKFURT | By Lidia Conde | We saw it coming: today nobody could beat Merkel. No other candidate had won all the opinion polls. The victory of the CDU/CSU with a 42% of votes (according to polls on Sunday), is mainly due to the Chancellor’s charisma. In these times of economic uncertainty, Germans have shown that they do not want experiments nor surprises. She has won the elections saying that Germany is doing well and this Government is the best. No matter whether this is truth or not- the message has passed.
MUNICH | By Stefan Kornelius at Süddeutsche Zeitung via Presseurop | The German elections are triggering a fascinating and unprecedented level of anticipation abroad. For Germany’s parties and voters, their country’s role and influence in Europe is so apparent that the issue is not a key battleground in the campaign.
MADRID | The Corner Team | Exports are pumping fresh air into the Spanish economy. The recession-hit country’s trade deficit plunged by a further 53.5 per cent in July, officials said on Friday. The government is banking on foreign trade to be an engine of the recovery.
ATHENS | By Kathimerini via Presseurop | Whether they are recent graduates or older workers re-entering the workforce after a period of unemployment, Greeks of all ages must accept lower and lower wages. Recent graduates are not the only ones concerned. There are also those over 40 or 50 years old who have lost their jobs. If they find a new one, they cannot expect to ask for more than €700. How much can pay be reduced?
THE CORNER’S OP-ED | “La nouvelle France industrielle” (the new industrial France). Amid widespread resentment of the population, that’s François Hollande’s slogan for his new state-aided plan to boost the economy. The country has the fifth highest GDP in the world, although the effects of the economic crisis are deepening. The latest figures have brought the number of unemployed to more than three million. Will Paris succeed in taking the reins?
MADRID | By J. P. Marin Arrese | As Barroso recently delivered his yearly “state of the Union” speech, only staunch believers in the European dream think he is in full command. His so-called executives act as bell boys ready to carry the luggage to those national governments that run matters, especially Berlin. Managing a tiny 1% GDP budget, the Commission proves quite unable to exert any influence on the area’s economy.
Image by: The American Interest
BERLIN | By Martin Ehl via Presseurop | Having once welcomed the arrival of political and economic liberalism following the fall of communism, the countries of central Europe are now increasingly turning their backs on this ideology, which heralded their return to democracy.