The Local Germany

Merkel's Greece visit to focus on post-austerity solidarity

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 14:58:56 +0100

German Chancellor Angela Merkel headed to Greece on Thursday amid tight security to show post-austerity solidarity with Athens and lend diplomatic support on a name change for neighbouring Macedonia.

Greece's former finance minister to stand for election in Germany

Mon, 26 Nov 2018 14:49:08 +0100

Greece's former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis will stand for the May 2019 European election in Germany, a country he once locked horns with during the Greek debt crisis, the political movement he launched has announced.

Portugal's ruling party calls German minister 'pyromaniac'

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 11:02:42 +0200

The head of Portugal's ruling Socialists called German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble a "pyromaniac" on Thursday after he criticized Lisbon for reversing course on austerity.

France blasts Germany for 'austerity policy'

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 12:19:00 +0200

French Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg on Saturday criticised German austerity measures and warned France would no longer "be pushed around" by the EU's economic powerhouse.

Backlash over EU crisis hits German popularity

Wed, 26 Jun 2013 09:55:00 +0200

Germany's efforts to save the euro and urge other European Union countries to embrace austerity to crawl out of the economic crisis is being greeted negatively by people across the bloc, a new poll has revealed.

IMF trims German 2013 growth forecast

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:45:00 +0200

The International Monetary Fund lowered Monday its forecast for German growth this year to just 0.3 percent, but predicted that Europe's biggest economy will experience a recovery in the second half of 2013.

Anti-austerity protesters march in Frankfurt

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 19:05:00 +0200

Thousands of protesters rallied in central Frankfurt on Saturday to voice growing European discontent against a string of austerity measures that have been applied across the continent over the debt crisis.

Hollande praises tough German reforms

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:00 +0200

French President Francois Hollande, attending the 150th anniversary celebrations of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Leipzig on Thursday, praised the unpopular welfare and labour reforms implemented by former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.

IMF backs thrifty German budget policy

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:28:00 +0200

The International Monetary Fund's chief economist believes Germany's budgetary policy is "appropriate" while criticizing the fiscal habits of the United States.

Berlin: Europe must 'stay the course' with austerity

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:10:00 +0200

Germany argued Tuesday that the eurozone must stay the course with "already successful" reforms and fiscal discipline, a day after European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso suggested the tide may be turning against tough austerity.

Germany 'not strong enough' for stimulus

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:37:00 +0200

Germany does not have the economic strength to launch another stimulus package now without running the risk of losing market confidence, Chancellor Angela Merkel said late Monday.

Merkel: austerity not my idea, not my fault

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:17:00 +0200

Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her role in the eurozone crisis Monday against angry citizens of debt-mired nations, saying her tough austerity course was the only way to win back trust.

Merkel's cabinet backs tough austerity package

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:02:00 +0200

Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet signed off Wednesday on a hefty austerity package that critics say will hit the poorest hardest and could endanger Germany and therefore Europe's economic recovery.

Poor families hit by parenting payment cuts

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:58:00 +0200

Cuts to Germany's Elterngeld parenting benefits will be deeper than previously thought, with its centre-right government planning to benefits for low-income parents who work part-time, media reported Friday.

Cities tighten their belts after tax cuts

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:28:00 +0100

German cities complain they are bearing the brunt of deep tax cuts by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government and nowhere is feeling the pain more sharply than the rust-belt town of Wuppertal.