Main focus of Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Europe nervous about German presidential election

The German Federal Convention will today, Wednesday, elect the new federal president of Germany. If the candidate of the liberal-conservative coalition Christian Wulff does not easily win the government would be severely weakened, the European press believes. With negative repercussions for the entire continent.

Hospodářské noviny - Czech Republic

Europe's future will be at stake when a new president is elected in Germany today, Wednesday, comments business paper Hospodářské noviny: "Merkel has reason to be nervous. Any complication would reaffirm the lack of cohesion in the coalition and weaken her position. There is much at stake. Only if the government camp is able to push through its candidate Christian Wulff in the first round will Merkel be able to relax and turn her attention to foreign policy and the single European currency once more. ... At a time when Europe needs resolute leaders to guide it out of the crisis, even a minor hiccup in Berlin would be a disconcerting signal. The rest of Europe is therefore following this presidential election closely." (30/06/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Germany
All available articles from » Jiří Sládek

Blog Gavin Hewitt's Europe - United Kingdom

A victory for the opposition's candidate, the civil rights campaigner Joachim Gauck, in the German presidential election would threaten Angela Merkel, Gavin Hewitt writes in his blog for the BBC: "If the unexpected happens, Angela Merkel's authority will be undermined. It would also mean that some Free Democrats - her coalition partners - had voted for Mr Gauck. She would not resign but, as Gerd Langguth, her biographer, said, 'it would be the beginning of the end for this government.' She is a shrewd, patient politician who plots her moves. She would not be hustled out of power. But there would be uncertainty as she re-structures her coalition. And there would be uncertainty in Germany at a time when, more than ever, it holds the key to resolving the crisis in Europe. A crisis that is not yet over." (30/06/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Germany

Wprost Online - Poland

Should the opposition's candidate Joachim Gauck be elected president this would spell the end for Chancellor Angela Merkel and bring political change to Germany, according to an analysis by the news magazine Wprost: "Pastor Joachim Gauck - the symbol of Germany's coming to terms with the GDR dictatorship - is competing in the race for the office of president. The military tatoo in front of Schloss Bellevue [the official presidential residence in Berlin] to say farewell to Horst Köhler [the resigning president] feels like a funeral - despite the red carpet, the soldiers, the military band and everyone singing the national anthem. ... Köhler's sudden resignation has caused Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle serious difficulties. If the opposition's candidate - the highly regarded Joachim Gauck - becomes Köhler's successor this may bring a major upheaval on the political scene in Germany." (30/06/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Poland
All available articles from » Piotr Cywiński

Der Standard - Austria

The election of the federal president is just a matter of political calculation, the daily Der Standard writes, much to the annoyance of citizens. "In Germany as in Austria the gulf between politicians and the people has grown ever wider. More and more people are turning away from politics. It is widely believed that politicians spend all their energy fighting with one another, do not tell the truth and only have their eye on the next election. That applies to both countries. ... The ruling coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP in Berlin are wearing each other down. Nevertheless, they have managed to put together an austerity package, albeit no fundamental reforms. Because a victory for the red-green candidate Gauck would probably mark the end of Angela Merkel as chancellor, party discipline will prevail. The election in the Berlin Reichstag isn't even primarily about choosing a president. This will only strengthen people's disillusionment with politics - the feeling that those at the top will arrange things for themselves anyway." (30/06/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Germany, » Austria
All available articles from » Alexandra Föderl-Schmid

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