Merkel to "actively support" Sarkozy re-election campaign?

hatrickpatrick

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/29/france-germany-election-merkel-idINDEE80S04J20120129

(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel will "actively support" French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a fellow conservative, in his spring campaign to win re-election, her Christian Democrat (CDU) party in Berlin said.

It is unusual for German leaders to intervene in elections abroad even though the CDU and Sarkozy's UMP have similar policies. Merkel and Sarkozy have worked closely in trying to solve the euro zone sovereign debt crisis and have even earned the nickname 'Merkozy' for their close working relationship.

A spokesman for the CDU said Merkel, in her capacity as the leader of Germany's conservatives, was planning to make several joint campaign appearances with Sarkozy in the spring, ahead of the two-round French election on April 22 and May 6.

The dates of their joint appearances were not yet available. The exact nature of Merkel's involvement is also unclear.

While European leaders sometimes make brief appearances at rallies of centre-right or centre-left allies abroad, it is unusual for them to become actively involved.

"The CDU chairwoman, Chancellor Angela Merkel, will actively support Nicolas Sarkozy with joint appearances in the election campaign in the spring," the CDU said in a statement.

Merkel's right-hand man in the CDU, general secretary Hermann Groehe, has already been involved in campaigning in France. In a speech on Saturday in Paris, Groehe attacked Socialist challenger Francois Hollande, saying his policies would weaken Europe. Hollande tops opinion polls in France.

In European parliamentary elections in 2009, Sarkozy took part in one rally in Berlin for the CDU youth wing.

Ok.
No matter HOW pro-EU you are, no matter how amicable you are towards the French and German governments, no matter how willing you are to accept their so-called alliance, surely everyone must admit that this is a deeply, deeply disturbing development.

Unless Merkel happens to be a registered voter in France, and vice versa for Sarkozy, surely this must be seen as wholly and hideously inappropriate? For the German chancellor to effectively announce that she will be "actively involved" in a democratic election in another country which is completely outside her jurisdiction? I believe Sarkozy himself has made similar remarks with regard to Germany but I can't find the link at the moment, will update the post if I do.

Even if you were ok with the toppling of democratic governments elsewhere in Europe over their stance on EU competence and the transfer of sovereignty, surely everyone will now admit that this has gone way, way too far?

Are we still 27 sovereign nations who have a union of economic co operation, or are we not? Are we going to live in a United States of Europe, or are we not?

Honesty, please. Where will this end? And how can anyone actually defend this?

bijapos

She will claim she is going there as a private citizen, not as a PM of another nation. Either way its her choice and something which will backfire, though by no means spectacularly. Borderline voters will be put off by her and she will annoy Germans at home too. Remember Sarkozy coming here during Lisbon I ? Hardly a success, was it.

Its not the first time its happened, leaders of other EPP parties often go to Berlin or Paris just before a general election for "a quick visit" which is nothing more than a glorified photo op, remember Enda Kenny going to see Merkel in February?

In fact when Schroeder then the German PM decided that Germany would not join the Iraq Invasion/Gulf War II, Merkel then the leader of the opposition went to see Bush in Washington and was given all the trappings of a state visit.

Its essentially a case of politicians scratching each others backs here, its up to the citizens of France and Germany to decide if its appropriate, and they will have the chance to express their views at the polls.

Jeboa Safari

It will probably backfire, but this seems to happen in France. The Spanish PM was at a campaign rally for Segolene Royal last time out.

imme

I see nothing hideously wrong with it OP.
I'd be more concerned with why she's supporting a useless hyperactive dead duck.

conorhal

The Germans don't seem to be too shy about telling the electorate of other countries who they can and can't vote for these days.

Here's hoping that she'll come over hear and go door to door for Kenny at the next referendum election.
I look forward to greeting her with a few choice words (many of which have a German etiological root...)

nesf

Um, so? Do you really think the French won't notice that it's a German telling them how to vote? If anything it'll galvanise certain sections of the public against Sarkozy.

Now if an EU commissioner was doing it I'd agree there was a problem.

Scofflaw

hatrickpatrick wrote:

Are we still 27 sovereign nations who have a union of economic co operation, or are we not? Are we going to live in a United States of Europe, or are we not?

Honesty, please. Where will this end? And how can anyone actually defend this?

No, we're living in Europe. And the governments of European countries seek allies in the governments of other European countries. So a conservative leader in Germany would like to see a conservative leader in France - and a left-wing leader in Spain would like to see a left-wing leader in Germany.

If Merkel were stupid enough to try to tell the French voters how to vote - or if Sarkozy were stupid enough to ask her to do so - then it would backfire spectacularly. Neither Merkel nor Sarkozy are that stupid, though.

Merkel is being paraded by Sarkozy as an ally, someone with whom he has a good relationship, just as our Taoiseachs like to be seen talking to the US President, and the US President comes here to discover his "Irish roots", or meets the Taoiseach at the Whitehouse on Paddy's Day.

amused,
Scofflaw

nesf

Scofflaw wrote: »

No, we're living in Europe. And the governments of European countries seek allies in the governments of other European countries. So a conservative leader in Germany would like to see a conservative leader in France - and a left-wing leader in Spain would like to see a left-wing leader in Germany.

If Merkel were stupid enough to try to tell the French voters how to vote - or if Sarkozy were stupid enough to ask her to do so - then it would backfire spectacularly. Neither Merkel nor Sarkozy are that stupid, though.

Merkel is being paraded by Sarkozy as an ally, someone with whom he has a good relationship, just as our Taoiseachs like to be seen talking to the US President, and the US President comes here to discover his "Irish roots", or meets the Taoiseach at the Whitehouse on Paddy's Day.

amused,
Scofflaw

Obama is a closet blueshirt? I should have known...