Tag Archives: merkel

Obama to Merkel: Europe Needs a Leader — and You’re It

Beyond the broad smiles, the jokes about Hillary Clinton’s wardrobe, and the ceremonial reassurances that accompanied German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s three-day visit to Washington this week, there was a clear message that President Barack Obama expects Germany to demonstrate leadership with NATO and in Europe. Considering the context — Tuesday’s love fest on the White House lawn — Obama was outspoken in urging his guest to take more responsibility in Libya, saying that he expected full and robust German support for the ongoing airstrikes.

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After Strauss-Kahn: Who’s Next to Head the IMF?

Even before Dominique Strauss-Kahn announced from New York’s Riker’s Island prison on Wednesday that he was stepping down as head of the International Monetary Fund , world powers were already jostling over who could replace him. Indeed, since Strauss-Kahn’s arrest last Saturday on charges of attempted rape, European officials have been swift to argue that Europe should maintain the hold it has had on the IMF’s top job ever since the Washington D.C.-based organization was created in 1945

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Merkel eyes new coalition after victory

Re-elected German Chancellor Angela Merkel is eyeing a new coalition to replace the “grand coalition” her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party shared with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the previous parliament. If, as expected, Merkel forms a new coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FPD) it will have wide-reaching implications for Germans.

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Germany votes amid terror videos, job fears

Germans went to the polls Sunday in the face of threatening videos from al Qaeda and the Taliban warning them not to vote for leaders who want to keep the country’s troops in Afghanistan. Security was tightened at airports and train stations, and authorities on Saturday banned all flights over the Oktoberfest beer festival until it ends on October 4.

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Germany boosts terrorism alert level

The German government raised its terrorism alert level after al Qaeda posted a video on the Internet threatening attacks in Germany if this month’s elections do not come out the way the terrorist organization wants. “The federal elections offer a special [opportunity] for propaganda and operative activity by terror groups,” the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

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Germany’s ‘TV duel’ turns friendly as election looms

There’s a saying that the German peace movement has been using since the days of the Cold War that translates into something like this: “Imagine there’s a war and no one shows up.” Adapt that to German politics and you have a pretty good summary of Sunday’s pre-election TV debate between Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Union and her rival Frank Walter Steinmeier, of the Social Democratic Party, who is also this country’s Foreign Minister: “Imagine there’s an election and no one fights to win.” That is what viewers saw last night. With just two weeks to go until Germany goes to the polls, both candidates opened up by praising each other and saying how well they have been working together

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