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EU: Merkel Secures Vote for Euro Treaties
Spiegelonline ^ | 6/29/2012

Posted on 06/29/2012 10:48:56 PM PDT by bruinbirdman

As expected, more than two-thirds of the lawmakers in Germany's parliament moved on Friday to approve the permanent euro rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism, and a fiscal pact long championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel. However, the treaties still face a review by the country's highest court before they can be ratified.

It's been a rough few years and a particularly long and stressful day for Angela Merkel. But, for now at least, Germany's chancellor can breathe a sigh of relief.

Late Friday evening, Germany lawmakers -- including politicians from two opposition parties -- approved two key pillars of her efforts to bring calm to the long-raging euro storm.

In the first vote, members of the Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, approved the fiscal pact, which commits Germany to stricter budgetary rules, such as reducing its budget deficits to less than 0.5 percent of gross domestic product beginning in 2014. Lawmakers voted 491-111, with six abstentions, in favor of the pact, a pet project of Merkel's that was agreed on by 25 of the EU's 27 member states at a summit in January. Ireland became the first of these countries to ratify the pact in early June. A two-thirds majority, or 414 votes, was needed for the measure's passage because it involves an internationally binding commitment to limit Germany's deficit.

In the second ballot, lawmakers voted 493-106, with five abstentions, in favor of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the €700 billion ($890 billion) permanent bailout fund.

The Bundesrat, Germany's upper legislative chamber, which represents the interests of the states, is expected to approve both measures later in the evening.

A Day of Discord

The votes were held despite calls earlier in the day from politicians both inside and outside Merkel's center-right government to delay them until lawmakers had time to

(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 06/29/2012 10:49:03 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
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To: bruinbirdman

“...reducing its budget deficits to less than 0.5 percent of gross domestic product beginning in 2014”—that’s miniscule by our standards!


2 posted on 06/29/2012 10:57:12 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: bruinbirdman

Won’t solve one damn thing - just kicks the can down the road a bit in the forlorn hope that these socialist countries can actually become hard working, thrifty and productive.

Where is almost 1 trillion in real money going to come from and how will distributions be collateralized?


3 posted on 06/29/2012 10:57:27 PM PDT by bill1952 (Choice is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: bill1952
". . . - just kicks the can down the road . . ."

"Despite parliamentary approval of the ESM and the fiscal pact, it is not expected that the treaties will be ratified -- at least for a few weeks -- following a request by Germany's highest court to the country's president, Joachim Gauck, asking him not to sign them into law until it can complete a legal review.

At least 12,000 complaints are expected to be filed with the Federal Constitutional Court regarding the ESM and the fiscal pact. As a result of the legal complications, the ESM will not go into effect on July 1, as planned."

yitbos

4 posted on 06/29/2012 11:09:55 PM PDT by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)
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To: bruinbirdman

from what I’ve read that will be a minor delay.


5 posted on 06/29/2012 11:24:45 PM PDT by bill1952 (Choice is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: bruinbirdman

Sing along: Print.. Print to Prosperity


6 posted on 06/29/2012 11:35:07 PM PDT by 4rcane
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To: bill1952
None of those countries there fit that description. The ’social market economy” is written into the treaties, right on down into the Treaty of Lisbon.

People here need to wake up to the fact that these treaties are power plays, not solutions. The EU politicians are fanatics.
7 posted on 06/30/2012 12:35:47 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

You are preaching to the choir here OH.
Everyone here knows this is another power grab


8 posted on 06/30/2012 4:19:29 AM PDT by bill1952 (Choice is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: 9YearLurker
Yesterday's stock market jump - the best day since 1997 - can be directly attributed to this news.

But, like every other news flash coming from Europe these days it is about some future event totally unsupported by actual accomplishments. This is also a description of socialism - a future utopia not supported by hard physical accomplishments.

Anyone want to take bets that we will see another such announcement in 90 to 120 days? That would make another stock market jump - the best since 19xx - occurring just in time for the November elections.

9 posted on 06/30/2012 4:37:08 AM PDT by Nip (TANSTAAFL and BOHICA)
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To: Nip
"want to take bets that we will see another such announcement in 90 to 120 days? "

Past EU crisis solutions caused similar market euphoria in the past two years. It took a couple of months for reality to lower them. Less and less time lately. Down to a couple of days.

Watch Monday's indexes after the market has digested the latest non-solution over the wekend.

yitbos

10 posted on 06/30/2012 7:48:09 PM PDT by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)
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To: Nip
See what this does to the market on Monday:

David Cameron has opened the door to a historic referendum on Britain’s future relationship with the European Union

yitbos

11 posted on 06/30/2012 8:38:13 PM PDT by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)
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