EU: Germany's anti-euro party is a nasty shock for Angela Merkel

The Telegraph ^ | 3/10/2013 | Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

[bruinbirdman]

Political revolt against the euro construct has spread to Germany.

A new party led by economists, jurists, and Christian Democrat rebels will kick off this week, calling for the break-up of monetary union before it can do any more damage.

"An end to this euro," is the first line on the webpage of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). "The introduction of the euro has proved to be a fatal mistake, that threatens the welfare of us all. The old parties are used up. They stubbornly refuse to admit their mistakes."

They propose German withdrawl from EMU and return to the D-Mark, or a breakaway currency with the Dutch, Austrians, Finns, and like-minded nations. The French are not among them. The borders run along the ancient line of cleavage dividing Latins from Germanic tribes.

The plans draw on work by Hans-Olaf Henkel, former head of Germany's industry federation (BDI) and a chastened europhile -- the "worst error of my professional life", he told me.

The appeal of German exit is obvious. It is the least traumatic way to end the 20pc to 30pc misalignment between North and South, the cancer eating Europe. Club Med keeps the euro. It enjoys instant devaluation, while still able to uphold euro debt contracts. The spectre of sovereign defaults recedes.

The party hopes to contest the federal elections in September, winning enough votes to scramble a tight race. Chancellor Angela Merkel suddenly has a "UKIP problem" on the her right flank.

Should she sign off on a bail-out out for Cyprus -- safeguarding the "dirty funds of Russian oligarchs", as the AfD puts it -- she will be raked by heavy fire.

That will test her solidarity mantra, and she can turn on a Pfennig. She ditched her nuclear energy policy days after

[GeronL]

It will be interesting to see where that goes

[Cowboy Bob]

Should she sign off on a bail-out out for Cyprus -- safeguarding the "dirty funds of Russian oligarchs", as the AfD puts it -- she will be raked by heavy fire.

A defaulting Cyprus would be very interesting to watch...

[pepsionice]

You have to get five percent of the national vote...to stand in the Bundestag. Then you count in the fact that the majority of Germans are pretty much locked into a party, and don’t flip around much. I live there for over fifteen years and can attest...you just don’t have that many independents.

But the 2013 election is an odd event. There are two new parties that will come into play: the anti-Euro party, and the Pirate Party.

Based on some state elections and general statistics....the Pirate Party probably won’t get more than three percent of the national vote (most voters will be eighteen to twenty-five years old). As for the Anti-Euro Party? They might get five percent, and make their way for a few members in the Bundestag.

This would create a problem because Merkel has to forge a relationship with some other party/parties....to get the fifty percent of the Bundestag, in order to run the country. She knows that she’ll come close to forty percent of the national vote. The question is....who do forge relations with? And I’m guessing the anti-Euro party won’t be one of the partners.

[Viennacon]

Okay, but what’s their policy on the Islamic invasion? Will they sign deportation notices and save Germany? Also, allow homeschooling and draw up a German constitution to forever outlaw same-sex marriages.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

I fear it will go to a Forth Reich. Germany wants her place in the sun. Lets hope the new Germany will be more like the second Reich than the third.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks bruinbirdman.

[TexasRepublic]

Hmmmm.....

“An end to this socialism,” is the first line on the webpage of Alternative for America (AfA). “The introduction of socialism has proved to be a fatal mistake, that threatens the welfare of us all. The old parties are used up. They stubbornly refuse to admit their mistakes.”