Merkel-bashing Socialists cause controversy in France

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Series Details 29.04.13
Publication Date 29/04/2013
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A personal attack on German Chancellor Angela Merkel by French President Francois Hollande's Socialist Party which was leaked in April 2013 prompted fierce debate. The attack came in a draft policy paper designed to be published at a party congress in June 2013 but leaked on 26 April 2013 in French daily Le Monde.

The 21-page text accused centre-right governments in Europe in general of a list of faults: 'cynicism … [putting] markets above people … blind austerity … naivety [on lack of protection for EU companies in an EU-US free trade zone]'. It said Chancellor Merkel was blocking an EU banking union on the 'pretext' that it required an EU treaty change to satisfy German constitutional judges. The paper added: 'The friendship between France and Germany is not a friendship between France and the European politics of Chancellor Merkel'"

Source Link Link to Main Source http://euobserver.com/economic/119976
Related Links
ESO: Background Information: Hollande receives German opposition leader http://www.europeansources.info/record/hollande-receives-german-opposition-leader/
Le Monde, 29.04.13: Attaques contre Merkel: la presse française partagée http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2013/04/29/attaques-contre-merkel-la-presse-francaise-partagee_3167973_823448.html
Le Figaro / Le Monde, 29.04.13: ‘The big chill’ (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/3731151-big-chill
EurActiv, 29.04.13: French socialists lash out at Merkel’s ‘selfish intransigence’ http://www.euractiv.com/priorities/french-socialists-burst-merkel-s-news-519416
Blog: Open Europe, 29.04.13: Sorry - who are you again? The rather indifferent German response to French socialists' attack on Merkel http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/sorry-who-are-you-again-rather.html
Spiegel Online International, 30.04.13: EU Parliament President: French Criticism of Merkel 'Unfair' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/eu-parliament-president-says-french-criticism-of-merkel-is-unfair-a-897321.html
Blog: The Guardian: Comment is Free, 30.04.13: François Hollande's vision of an anti-austerity Europe was just a dream http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/30/francois-hollande-anti-austerity-europe-dream
Blog: EuropeCafe, 30.04.13: Is the French Socialist Party tempted by Germany-phobia? http://europecafe.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/is-the-french-socialist-party-tempted-by-germany-phobia/
Spiegel Online International, 01.05.13: Until Elections Do Us Part: A Deep Frost in Franco-German Relations http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/tensions-grow-between-germany-and-france-over-austerity-a-897318.html
Blog: Social Europe Journal, 02.05.13: On the Franco-German Euro Contradiction http://www.social-europe.eu/2013/05/on-the-franco-german-euro-contradiction/
EurActiv, 06.05.13: German left softer on Merkel austerity than French Socialists http://www.euractiv.com/priorities/german-left-softer-merkel-auster-news-519532
Deutsche Welle, 14.05.13: "Madame strong" and "Monsieur weak" http://dw.de/p/18XWD
EurActiv, 17.05.13: Merkel denies any rift with French leader http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/merkel-downplays-rift-french-lea-news-519814
Spiegel Online International, 17.05.13: Crisis of Friendship: Split Persists Between Berlin and Paris http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/germany-and-france-will-not-create-joint-statement-ahead-of-eu-summit-a-900514.html

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