[$tinkle]

Merkel’s Woes Mount as German President Koehler Quits

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s troubles may be multiplying after the German president unexpectedly quit, robbing her of a political ally she praised as the right man to help steer Germany through times of economic crisis.

Horst Koehler, a former head of the International Monetary Fund, announced his decision to resign as president yesterday, adding to pressure on Merkel as support for her coalition plunges amid its efforts to stem Europe’s debt woes. She’s now forced to look for a successor plus a replacement deputy leader of her Christian Democratic Union party following Roland Koch’s surprise May 25 announcement to quit as Hesse state premier.

“Two political heavyweights jump ship without adequate explanation as Merkel begins to look rudderless in choppy seas,” Peter Matuschek, Berlin-based head of political and social research at polling company Forsa, said in a phone interview. “A picture of political instability is emerging in Germany that is disturbing.”

Merkel hosted a meeting of coalition leaders in Berlin today to discuss potential presidential candidates. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, Labor Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Koch and Christian Wulff, the CDU state prime minister of Lower Saxony, are among possible successors named in the newspapers Bild and the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. The talks in the Chancellery broke up without any public comment.

Support Plunges

The leaders met as support for Merkel’s Christian Democrats and their CSU Bavarian allies sank to 30 percent in a weekly Forsa poll for Hamburg-based Stern magazine published today, the lowest level since November 2006. Her Free Democratic coalition partner held at 7 percent backing, less than half the score it won at September’s federal election that propelled it to power.

Merkel’s coalition has riled voters over its handling of the European Union’s $1 trillion plan to backstop the euro, with her flip-flop on extending aid to Greece blamed for a regional election setback that cost her control of the upper house of parliament. A subsequent unilateral ban on some types of naked short-selling on May 19 fanned investor concerns over the 16- nation currency and left her isolated internationally.

Koehler, whose role is mainly ceremonial, cited public criticism of remarks he made about Germany’s military mission in Afghanistan for his decision to quit with immediate effect.

 

[Pesqueeb]

A picture of political instability is emerging in Germany that is disturbing.

Geez, what could possibly go wrong with a politicaly unstable Germany?

 

[$tinkle]

not to worry; it isn't like germany is seeing an insurgency of auslanders, the global economy is teetering, & world opinion of the jews is waning...

 

[Pesqueeb]

not to worry; it isn't like germany is seeing an insurgency of auslanders, the global economy is teetering, & world opinion of the jews is waning...

:yikes:

 

[KavuRider]

not to worry; it isn't like germany is seeing an insurgency of auslanders, the global economy is teetering, & world opinion of the jews is waning...

Freaky.