EU election: Merkel vows economic boost to counter Eurosceptic gains

[bemildred]

Source: BBC

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has described the surge in support for far right and Eurosceptic parties in the EU elections as "regrettable", saying the response must be to boost the economy.

---

Mrs Merkel - whose conservative Christian Democratic Union won a comfortable 35% of the vote in Germany - said it was now up to the established parties of Europe to win voters back.

"The best way is to focus on improving competitiveness, on growth and creating jobs. This is the best answer to the disappointed people who voted in a way we didn't wish for," she said.

In France, where the far right anti-immigration Front National stormed to victory with a preliminary 25% of the vote, Socialist President Francois Hollande held an urgent meeting with his cabinet on Monday.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27579235

[MannyGoldstein]

1. By lowering interest rates to bankers, no doubt. nt

[bemildred]

2. They will fuck it up, but at least she understands where the problem lies.

The trouble will be that the proposed "solutions" will not work, because they will not adopt real redistribution..

[blkmusclmachine]

3. Merkel is part of the problem. Faux "concern" noted.

[DallasNE]

4. A Wake-Up Call For Merkel

Indeed, the austerity she has imposed on the rest of Europe is at the heart of much of this unrest. Funny too, because these Eurosceptic parties economic policy is more austerity. The problem of Oligarchy control of economies in the developed world is greater Oligarchy control according to these voters, which is the reverse of what is necessary. Merkel is belatedly understanding this though the voters in Ukraine have missed this point in their recent election.

[JDPriestly]

5. Yes. Austerity is the culprit. Who gets hurt by austerity?

The middle class and the poor. Austerity does not harm the very wealthy nearly so much as it does those who struggle to pay the bills.