New York Times
May 20, 2011
Rarely does the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, opt for the populist speech.
But she did just that this week, on Tuesday evening in the small west German town of Meschede.
At an event organized by the local branch of her party, the Christian Democrats, Mrs. Merkel delivered remarks more redolent of the populism of the mass circulation newspaper Bild than her characteristic caution.
With Germans and Mrs. Merkel’s center-right coalition divided about bailing out Greece for a second time, she threw caution to the wind, criticizing outright the social welfare systems of the South European countries.
“We can’t have a common currency where some get lots of vacation time, and others very little,” Mrs. Merkel said.
Her audience nodded in agreement.
The criticism, analysts said, was aimed at winning over the public and her coalition to the need to give financial assistance to Greece.
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