Greece’s third bailout rocks German election campaign

EurActiv and other news sources reported that German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble as saying on the 20 August 2013 for the first time that Greece will need another (third) rescue package bailout.

This was seen as a sensitive remark in the context of the German federal election campaign. His comments raised the likelihood of a measure that was bound to be deeply unpopular domestically just five weeks before a general election in Germany.

The European Central Bank (ECB) downplayed talk of a third bailout for Greece on the 22 August 2013 and said no new decision would be taken before spring 2014.

Greece's troika of lenders - the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - would review the aid programme for Greece in the autumn of 2013.

• Primary Source

Spiegel Online International, 21.08.13: More Aid? Greece Funding May Come from EU Budget http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/german-report-new-greece-aid-package-could-come-from-eu-budget-a-917762.html

Deutsche Welle, 20.08.13: German Finance Ministry: Third Greek aid deal unavoidable http://dw.de/p/19SoH

EUObserver, 22.08.13: ECB downplays third bailout for Greece http://euobserver.com/economic/121173

BBC News, 21.08.13: EU's Olli Rehn: New Greece bailout not the only option http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23778141

Kathimerini, 22.08.13: Greek bailout talk ruffles German election http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_22/08/2013_515047

ESO: Background information: German federal election, 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-federal-election-2013/

Ta Nea, How will we obtain another aid package? (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/4077261-how-will-we-obtain-another-aid-package

Blog: Open Europe, 21.08.13: Germany finally admits to a third Greek bailout, but what form might it take? http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/germany-finally-admits-to-third-greek.html

Kathimerini, 24.08.13: Dijsselbloem blasted for comment on third Greek bailout http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_24/08/2013_515394

EUObserver, 28.08.13: Why did Schaeuble break the Greek bailout taboo? http://euobserver.com/political/121210

Spiegel Online International, 05.09.13: Headwind for Merkel: Euro Zone Head Says Greece Needs More Aid http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/euro-zone-head-says-greece-needs-more-bailout-aid-a-920641.html

EurActiv, 05.09.13: Dijsselbloem confirms need for third Greek bail out http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/dijsselbloem-confirms-need-third-news-530256

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