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BERLIN. — German Chancellor Angela Merkel called her party’s election success a “strong vote” for a united Europe yesterday, saying her anti-crisis strategy would not change. “It was a strong vote for a united Europe,” Merkel told reporters at her Christian Democratic Union’s headquarters after it scored 41.5 percent on Sunday, its best result since national reunification in 1990.
Asked if Germany would now be more flexible on its demands for structural reforms and balanced budgets from European partners, she responded: “Our course on European policy will not change.”
“We must come out of the crisis stronger,” she added.
Germany had been considered the “sick man of Europe” around a decade ago but is now “an anchor of stability” in the EU.
“The others can also achieve that,” she said.
As the leader of Europe’s top economy, Merkel pushed for stricken eurozone countries to implement deep reforms and budget cuts in return for aid.
She was applauded by voters at home but ran into fierce criticism on the streets of countries such as Greece and Spain, struggling under debt piles and recession.
In another development,Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held telephone talks with his German counterpart Merkel on bilateral ties.
Offering his congratulations on the victory of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union in Sunday’s federal election, Li went on to say that encouraging progress has been made in bilateral relations and co-operation in various areas since he visited Germany in May.
China appreciates the positive role Germany has played in facilitating a proper settlement of the China-EU trade dispute and stands ready to advance China-Germany relations from a long-term strategic perspective, he said. —AFP/Xinhua.
Online Reporter