| Financial Post | - |
Markus Schreiber/AP PhotoTensions have been escalating between Greece
and Germany since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took office in January,
promising to end an austerity drive that he blames on Chancellor Angela
Merkel.
German public, tired of Athens’ demands, wants Greece to leave eurozone
Dalia Fahmy and Elisabeth Behrmann, Bloomberg News | March 16, 2015 | Last Updated: Mar 16 2:49 PM ET
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Markus Schreiber/AP PhotoTensions
have been escalating between Greece and Germany since Prime Minister
Alexis Tsipras took office in January, promising to end an austerity
drive that he blames on Chancellor Angela Merkel. The German public is
growing less patient with Greece.
Berlin
cabdriver Jens Mueller says he’s had it with the Greek government and
he doesn’t want Germany to send any more of his tax money to be
squandered in Athens.
It took a few simple truths from Germany’s Angela Merkel on the basics of euro-area crisis management to pacify the combative new government in Athens.
The chancellor explained to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras what an aide in her office called reality. There wasn’t much time to reach the deal needed to keep Greece afloat and Germany wasn’t going to budge, Merkel told him in a 50-minute phone conversation on Feb. 19. It was their first substantive exchange since he’d won election Jan. 25.
Continue reading.
“They’ve got a lot of hubris and arrogance, being in the situation
they’re in and making all these demands,” said Mueller, 49, waiting for
fares near the Brandenburg Gate. “Maybe it’s better for Greece to just
leave the euro.”
Mueller’s sentiment is shared by a majority of Germans. A poll published March 13 by public broadcaster ZDF found 52% of his countrymen no longer want Greece to remain in Europe’s common currency, up from 41% last month. The shift is due to a view held by 80% of Germans that Greece’s government “isn’t behaving seriously toward its European partners.”
The hardening of German opinion is significant because the country is the biggest contributor to Greece’s 240 billion-euro (US$253 billion) twin bailouts and the chief proponent of budget cuts and reforms in return for aid. Tensions have been escalating between the two governments since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took office in January, promising to end an austerity drive that he blames on Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The shift in sentiment comes as Greece, at risk of running out of cash this month, battles with European officials over the release of more bailout funds. Tsipras will join European leaders Thursday for talks in Brussels.
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How Germany gave Greece a reality check on EU politics to secure bailout extension
It took a few simple truths from Germany’s Angela Merkel on the basics of euro-area crisis management to pacify the combative new government in Athens.
The chancellor explained to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras what an aide in her office called reality. There wasn’t much time to reach the deal needed to keep Greece afloat and Germany wasn’t going to budge, Merkel told him in a 50-minute phone conversation on Feb. 19. It was their first substantive exchange since he’d won election Jan. 25.
Continue reading.
Mueller’s sentiment is shared by a majority of Germans. A poll published March 13 by public broadcaster ZDF found 52% of his countrymen no longer want Greece to remain in Europe’s common currency, up from 41% last month. The shift is due to a view held by 80% of Germans that Greece’s government “isn’t behaving seriously toward its European partners.”
The hardening of German opinion is significant because the country is the biggest contributor to Greece’s 240 billion-euro (US$253 billion) twin bailouts and the chief proponent of budget cuts and reforms in return for aid. Tensions have been escalating between the two governments since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took office in January, promising to end an austerity drive that he blames on Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The shift in sentiment comes as Greece, at risk of running out of cash this month, battles with European officials over the release of more bailout funds. Tsipras will join European leaders Thursday for talks in Brussels.
end quote from:
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