Merkel-Led Austerity Helps National Front, German SPD Leader Says

 

Chancellor Angela Merkel

Reuters, 11/12 16:51 CET

By Paul Carrel

BERLIN (Reuters) – The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) accused Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday of fuelling support for France’s far-right National Front by insisting on tighter budgets during the euro zone crisis.

Sigmar Gabriel, struggling to impose his leadership credentials before the next federal election in 2017, scored just 74 percent in a party delegates’ vote, the lowest for an SPD leader in 20 years.

The SPD shares power in a ‘grand coalition’ with Merkel’s conservatives but has failed to gain from infighting in the larger partner, notably over Europe’s migrant crisis. Trying to distinguish his party, Gabriel attacked Merkel’s handling of the euro zone debt crisis. 

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Source: Euronews