We are not a party subservient to capitalism

Angela Merkel was probably well take forces and height in his holidays spent in Italy, in the Dolomites, and the Bayreuth Music Festival, the temple of Wagnerian music. Because most of the files that Chancellor of the Germany comes to find are difficult to explain to public opinion that would like to receive its share of the dividends of the recovery of the economy of the country.

Like its predecessors, the Chancellor preferred international on domestic policy. A few months, she became one of the stars of the world. Anxious to play a greater role in the world, the Germany, who has not abandoned the idea of permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, is apparently ready to send troops everywhere on the planet: Afghanistan, Kosovo, Congo, etc. The first record that the head of the German Government had to deal with, upon his return from holiday, focused on the participation of the Bundeswehr in the international force to the South Lebanon. The second is also diplomatic since it concerns the preparation of the German Presidency of the European authorities, in the first half of 2007. Berlin intends to prove that the Germany has again become the engine of European integration and that alone is capable of reviving a mechanical blocked by the "no" in France and the Netherlands to the draft European Constitution. In particular by focusing on "the Europe of the citizens" that must prevail, according to the Chancellor, on the often incomprehensible decisions of the Community bodies.

Featuring a more than comfortable majority in the Bundestag (Chamber of Deputies) and in the Bundesrat (House representative Länder) on the basis of the coalition between the CDU / CSU and the SPD agreement, Angela Merkel runs no risk at the parliamentary level. This does not preclude to give great importance to the regional elections to take place September 17 in Berlin and in the Land of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which she is a member. "In total, the Chancellor comes seven times in recent weeks in the German region that she knows best", says Jürgen Seidel, head of the Christian-Democrat list in this Land of the former GDR. Both Berlin that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are directed by an atypical coalition, called here "Rot - Rot", i.e. Social-Democrat and radical left. The Chancellor would not unhappy that his party, the CDU, resumed power after eight years in opposition.

Several tenors of the Christian Democratic Party have benefited from the summer to denounce the hardening of fiscal of the coalition Government and social policy. "We are not a party subservient to capitalism." "The train where things are going, we will lose part of our traditional voters," said Jürgen Rüttgers. The Minister-President of the Land the more industrialized and most populous of Germany, the-du-North Rhine-Westphalia, and was referring to ongoing reforms by the Government coalition: increase in VAT, softening of the taxation of enterprises, reform of the health policy, retired at 67 years (instead of currently 65 years), etc. These changes in perspective who spend rather.

Further reforms might be developed jointly by the Christian Democrats and Socialists, they still penalize Chancellor whose popularity is declining. It is difficult to explain that companies must see their taxation softened to invest locally and thus create jobs while raising for individuals access to care and medications. The next value-added tax increase on January 1, VAT will be raised from 16 to 19, is even worse. Especially at the time when the economic upturn to return the additional EUR billion into the coffers of the Federal State. So do go public deficit below the 3 of the domestic product gross for the first time in four years.

The Chancellor, who is not a great Communicator will therefore have to explain to public opinion that the Crown, or even acceleration, reforms is necessary despite the improvement in the situation of a country that is no longer the Red Lantern of the European Union. It may leave feathers. As there is a great temptation for some elected officials and some analysts of institutes of conditions to claim a little bit more "social" at the time when tax revenues are many important than expected and where the profits of companies those that are listed on the DAX stock exchange Frankfurt and the other not have never been higher.

"Erklären, erklären, erklären", this is the main advice given recently by the President of the Republic of Germany, Horst Köhler, the head of the Federal Government. Due to "explain" the economic, social and tax coalition policy enough to convince the majority of the 82 million Germans who feel to tighten the belt since forever Nothing is less sure.

The predecessor of Angela Merkel, the Social Democrat Gerhard Schröder, had taken the risk to tell his fellow citizens that the era of the welfare State was gone. Today, the Chancellor must continue on the same register, with the more or less sincere blessing of its Socialist partner, which navigates to view from the general elections of last September. In principle, time plays into Merkel, whose tenacity and tenacity are well known. But it attached great importance to the international, while the head of Government is more expected from the records of health policy, reform of the labour market, on a possible increase in less VAT, on the dispatch of soldiers to the Lebanon and the redevelopment of the building European. The Germans would not forgive him for mistaken priorities, even if she still enjoys a certain State of grace nine months after his arrival at the Chancery.