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 | By Francisco López | Mark your calendars. For the first time in quite some time two major events for the future of markets and EU’s banking union are taking place in less than a month: the Fed’s meeting next Wednesday and the German elections on September 22. Is the tapering starting and by how much? Will Angela Merkel have to find a new political partner?
MADRID / FRANKFURT | By Tania Suárez and Lidia Conde | Practically all eyes are on the German elections of September 22 since apparently the future of all Europe lies on those results. However, German political parties have dodged the issue of the economic crisis in order to sell an image of an almighty Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel represents the perfect German: an ordinary, accessible, hardworking woman concerned about her country. The perfect candidate for Germany… or not.
PARIS | By Thibaut Madelin at Les Echos via Presseurop | Among the – rare – unknowns of the September 22 elections is the eventual tally for the Alternative für Deutschland. The Eurosceptic party targets older and more conservative voters, one of the traditional bases of the electorate of the outgoing Chancellor.
FRANKFURT | By Holger Schmale via Presseurop | Out on the campaign trail, the Chancellor has been stressing the track record of her government. It’s a strategy that she hopes will keep her above the political debate and steer her away from controversy. Excerpts.
MILAN| By Fabrizio Goria via Presseurop | Although German Chancellor Angela Merkel seems assured of victory, the German elections will be revelatory. The results should bring answers to a number of open questions concerning the future of the economy and of European institutions.
HAMBURG | Via Presseurop |The Merkel government demands southern countries make far-reaching reforms, but denies responsibility for the consequences of the crisis. It is a harmful attitude for Europe as Germany prepares for its legislative elections, warns philosopher Jürgen Habermas. As he puts it, “Germany is not dancing on the volcano; it is asleep on it.”
VALENCIA | By XTB analysts Miguel A. Rodriguez | Among all the obstacles that the European economies find in their way to recovery there is one particularly intractable: the Eurozone’s central bank itself. The ECB has proved to be too slow, and extremely fearful to display its powers.
BARCELONA | By Enric Fernandez | Both institutions and culture have a lot of inertia. There is no doubt, however, that this is much more the case with culture. Implementing a cultural change is surely impossible in the short term.
BARCELONA | By Oriol Aspachs and Joan Daniel Pina, at CaixaBank research department | To date it is the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who has set the pace of Europe’s construction. Without purporting to be a great leader, Germany is fulfilling this role.