Merkel tells Europe: work harder to stay rich
Published: 17 Dec 12 16:09 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20121217-46823.html
Europe will have to work "very hard" to maintain its generous welfare system and remain competitive, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a newspaper interview on Monday.
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Europe will have to spend more on research and education and overhaul its tax and labour markets to restore competitiveness, she said. "All of us have to stop spending more than we earn every year."
The chancellor was unrepentant about implementing the policy of austerity measures in response to the euro debt crisis, and reiterated her determination to make contracts with EU partner countries to implement more structural reform.
Merkel also used the interview to explain why policy building takes a little longer in Germany, and why she is often reluctant to commit to a course of action until a consensus has been formed.
"Social cohesion is very important to people in Germany," she told the paper. "Our federal system means that in Germany competences are distributed between the federal level and the Länder [the 16 federal states].
"Although that sometimes makes politics arduous, it’s also one of our country’s strengths, namely the ability to find good solutions to problems, and for Germany, across party lines."
The Local/AFP/bk
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Your comments about this article:
If their incomes rise it could jepoardize their future cohesion funds, they will of course work less hard now, with this new blueprint being revealed.
And we all know there will be no more democratic referendums on these matters, especially in the north, not after the insolent French and Dutch electorates voted no on the constitution.
Your point of view is in line with Merkel's. "All of us have to stop spending more than we earn every year." It is basically what the Fiscal Pact and the austerity measures are about. The title twisted a little what was actually said.
I assume you're thinking of her statement and not mine, because you can bet there wil never be net transfers from other EU states to Germany as long as we are all alive. That is for sure.
When you consider that Germany remained a huge net contributer the whole while paying trillions of DM's and then euros for it's reunification, one cannot imagine any reason at all that we would ever have even a year or two as a net recipient.
Btw, not going to reply to your BS on who pays more for Europe (France and Italy pay same as Germany), just to remind u that bankrupt nuerburing will be financed with eu money (so French and Italian will pay for it)..
Are you really that dumb? ' you can bet there wil never be net transfers from other EU states to Germany'. Paying for the Euro by the rest of the Eurozone is more than any net transfer going to any other state.
That`s right Outer Party Peeples. It`s not going to be easy with that Goldman-Sachs vampire squid sucking the lifeblood out of every single one of us in order to pay off that imaginary electronic black hole of debt, but if we want that extra ration of ersatz chocolate at the end of the month, then we`ll have to step it up!
Long Live Eurasia! Long Live the Party! Long Live the Banksters!
Muppet BILD reader. Please read my post at #9 and try thinking for yourself for a change.
Working hard to stay rich.
Firstly, let's assume we're all rich (ok, ahhhhh. bugger it, let's go shopping) ok, so now we're there.
Secondly, that we need to work hard to stay there. (damn it, I can't go shopping, i have to do some more overtime, awwwww).