BERLIN - A growing number of lawmakers are threatening to dent German Chancellor Angela Merkel's authority a year before an election by rebelling in a Bundestag vote on help for near-bankrupt Greece.
Greece’s international creditors are due to announce
concessions next month likely to include an additional two years
for Athens to implement its austerity targets and reduce its
debt pile, resulting in additional costs of billions of euros.
Any such changes must be voted on by German lawmakers.
Rebels from Merkel’s centre-right coalition, who have warned
consistently of throwing good money after bad, say their stance
has been vindicated and expect others to join them in voting
“nein”.
“I believe there are many more doubters than before because
everything we were led to believe, for example that Greece would
only get aid in return for sticking to strict targets, simply
hasn’t been the case,” said Veronika Bellmann, a lawmaker from
Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) in the state of Saxony.
The opposition Social Democrats have backed Merkel’s euro
zone policy in Bundestag votes, although the Chancellor has
always had enough support from within her own ranks to pass
legislation. A significant rebellion, and the need to rely on
outside support, would damage her reputation as a strong steward
in a crisis and lose her political capital with voters.
Bellmann supported the first Greek bailout but has voted
‘no’ in subsequent votes in the Bundestag, and she said she
enjoyed strong support from her constituents who are alarmed at
Germany’s increasing liabilities to Greece.
“We have been waiting for a report from Greece’s
international lenders, which is expected to say that Greece
still can’t meet its targets even after two bailouts, and a
pledge by the European Central Bank to do all it can.”
Jens Ackermann, a member of the Free Democrat Liberals
(FDP), Merkel’s junior coalition partners, said: “We need to
consider each vote on a case-by-case basis… but I see my fears
confirmed on Greece.
“With each vote there have been more and more rebels and I
expect that the number will rise this time as well. Germany
doesn’t have the power to shoulder endless rescues.”
In June, 300 of Merkel’s 330 coalition lawmakers approved
the euro zone’s permanent bail-out scheme and new budget rules,
down from the 304 deputies who had endorsed a second bailout for
Greece in February.
In September 2011 only 13 deputies had defied Merkel in a
vote to boost the euro zone rescue fund. The Bundestag has 620
seats.
CHANGING TUNE
Merkel’s stance towards Greece has softened since her visit
to Athens at the start of the month, which convinced her Greek
Prime Minster Antonis Samaras is trying his best to implement
reforms despite the headwinds of a deep recession.
Her parliamentary floor leader Volker Kauder tried on Monday
to ease rebel frustration and urged lawmakers to wait for the
report by the troika of international lenders due in November. A
vote is likely to follow in December.
“We will evaluate this in order to discuss it in the
Bundestag,” he told German’s Bild newspaper, adding Samaras had
made more progress than any of his predecessors.
Kauder acknowledged the German government could face
difficulties this time around. “We have always got our own
majority when it was necessary. But I know that the situation
will not be easy in the bloc.”
The popularity of Merkel’s conservatives stands at its
highest level in more than three years, according to an opinion
poll that showed no outright winner in next year’s election.
The closely watched Politbarometer for ZDF TV also showed a
48 to 44 percent majority of Germans believe Greece should
remain in the euro zone, up two points from the previous poll.
Earlier polls had showed a large majority in favour of Greece
leaving the euro zone.
However, that trend could change if Greece needs further
significant aid measures, including a debt restructuring.
Bild said in a column on Monday: “A country that cannot pay
back its debts to its European partners has simply no business
being in the euro. If it does in fact come to a second debt
haircut, then Greece must leave the euro.”
