Merkel to Campaign For Sarkozy

[jimmy olsen]

A bit odd that.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/30/merkel-sarkozy-campaign-presidential-election?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=feed

Sarkozy reignites war of words with UK

French president says Britain 'has no industry left', while German chancellor Angela Merkel pledges to help Sarkozy on the campaign trail

    Helen Pidd in Berlin and Kim Willsher in Paris
    guardian.co.uk, Monday 30 January 2012 18.49 GMT
    Article history

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has reignited his cross-Channel war of words by accusing the UK of "having no industry left" during a primetime broadcast on national television.

Sarkozy, biding for re-election this spring, but trailing in the polls behind the socialist challenger François Hollande, was outlining his plans for raising VAT on Sunday night when a journalist pointed out that a similar move in the UK had seen a rise in inflation and had set back the economy.

"The UK has no industry any more," Sarkozy said in a response that recalled recent outbursts by his finance minister, François Baroin, and the Bank of France governor, Christian Noyer, that Britain should have had its credit rating downgraded before France because the UK had a weaker economy and higher deficit.

Tensions between Paris and London fell to a nadir after David Cameron used his veto at December's crunch EU summit but government sources sought to play down the latest remarks. One British source said: "It is not true. The percentage of GDP that is manufacturing is 11%, the same as in France. He has got an election."

As Cameron arrived in Brussels on Monday he told Europe's politicians they needed to "get really serious" about promoting jobs and growth in the EU. "We need to complete the single market, agree trade deals and make serious efforts to deregulate small businesses," he said.

In a further sign Sarkozy is facing a desperate fight to stay in power, it has emerged that Angela Merkel has pledged to help him on the campaign trail. Hermann Gröhe, general secretary of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), confirmed at the weekend that she would "actively support Nicolas Sarkozy with joint appearances in the election campaign in the spring".

While it is not uncommon for certain world leaders to campaign on behalf of friends in neighbouring countries – Vladimir Putin has often vigorously supported candidates in former Soviet states – European politicians tend not to interfere with elections elsewhere.

They may support each other on certain issues – former German chancellor Helmut Kohl famously appeared on French TV alongside François Mitterand ahead of a referendum on France joining the euro – but to board the battle buses and speak at rallies was a new step, said Ulrike Guérot, an expert on Franco-German relations at the European Council on Foreign Relations. It was likely to become more common, she said, as European leaders build a "transnational democracy".

Anke Hassel, professor of public policy at the Berlin-based Hertie School of Governance, said it was very unusual for a serving European leader to campaign for an international colleague's re-election. She too believes such cross-border support could become commonplace. "I think we are in a profound period of change. Things are really being stirred up with the signing of the new fiscal treaty. This is the first step towards a much deeper integration on the political side of things."

The strength of the endorsement is surprising for more personal reasons. Though the French and German leaders have got along better as the euro crisis bites deeper, the pair are far from best of friends. At a gala in Frankfurt before Christmas marking the departure of the head of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet, Sarkozy allegedly made rude remarks about Merkel's fondness for cheese.

Merkel's surprise announcement caught Paris on the back foot as Sarkozy, also of the centre-right, has yet to officially declare his candidacy for the election, which will take place over two rounds on 22 April and 6 May.

"I did not know she voted in France," the French presidentsaid in an interview with multiple television channels on Sunday evening. Hassel, however, said she did not believe Merkel would have endorsed Sarkozy without his agreement.

Meanwhile, Hollande will seek to reassure the City on a visit to London next month after being accused of "political vindictiveness" towards Britain's financial heart. The Socialist party candidate will begin a cross-Channel charm offensive aimed at calming growing tensions and re-establishing the entente cordiale amid accusations that he has it in for Britain's banks and financial institutions.

The 24-hour visit is pencilled in for late February and although details have not yet been finalised, Hollande's advisers say he will "almost certainly" meet Ed Miliband and that would hope to talk to David Cameron.

"François Hollande is certainly not the bogeyman who has the City of London in his sights," a member of his campaign team said.

"I suspect this is some chicanery from the right to misconstrue his proposals, because there is no anti-City crusade in what he is proposing. He has said he wants financial institutions to be better regulated, but he is only saying what others, including Barack Obama and the Financial Times are saying ... that having saved the banks in 2008 they should not be speculating on countries and stopping them from getting back on their feet."

The adviser, who did not wish to be named, added: "The world of finance has to go back to its primary role, which should be to finance the real economy and not speculate. Even some great capitalists and fans of the free market agree with this."

At an election meeting of Sarkozy's UMP party in Paris at the weekend, Gröhe is said to have declared that the CDU was convinced Sarkozy "is the right man in the Elysée, now and in the future", the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. "We need a strong France with a strong president in charge. That person is our friend Nicolas Sarkozy," said Gröhe.

He criticised Sarkozy's presidential rival, the socialist François Hollande, who before Christmas travelled to Germany before Christmas to offer comradely support to the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Merkel's main domestic rival.

"The Socialists are stuck in their dreams of the past. All they are doing is bringing out dusty concepts and wealth distribution fantasies from their moth-ridden policy cupboard," said Gröhe. None of Hollande's "hitherto vague pronouncements" had not offered a solution to the "pressing problems of our time", he added

[Zoupa]

Yes, I'm sure a German touring France and telling us who to pick for leader will do wonders for Sarkozy's poll numbers.

[Sheilbh]

I can't understand who, in France or Germany, thought this would be a good idea

[CountDeMoney]

Yes, I'm sure a German touring France and telling us who to pick for leader will do wonders for Sarkozy's poll numbers.

I hope the Germans start a mailing campaign to little French towns in the countryside telling them how to vote.  Hear that works wonders.

[Ed Anger]

Yes, I'm sure a German touring France and telling us who to pick for leader will do wonders for Sarkozy's poll numbers.

I hope the Germans start a mailing campaign to little French towns in the countryside telling them how to vote.  Hear that works wonders.

Call it "Fall Gelb".

[Zanza]

Francois Hollande held a speech on the national convention of Germany's social democrat party in December.

Sarkozy and Merkel are both members of the European People's Party. I expect to see more cross-border campaigning in the future.

[PDH]

I expect to see more cross-border campaigning in the future.

In English this is technically called "invading" when you campaign in another's country.

[Admiral Yi]

Has Hollande expressed an opinion yet on France's role in bailing out other Yurozone countries?

[Sheilbh]

Has Hollande expressed an opinion yet on France's role in bailing out other Yurozone countries?

He wants to renegotiate the fiscal pact agreed in December.

Edit:  He also supports what Sarko wants, but more.  So he's behind Eurobonds, the ECB making far larger purchases of government bonds and the rest.

Sarkozy and Merkel are both members of the European People's Party. I expect to see more cross-border campaigning in the future.

I think you're right this could be the future if Europe continues to integrate - personally I think that's only one possibility - but this is novel.  In general, though Zapatero came and addressed the Labour conference and everyone knows Cameron wants Sarko to win, sitting heads of government don't campaign in other countries elections.  My understanding is that sort of meddling was one of the unspoken rules of the EU, in some ways already broken with Merkel's call to Napolitano.  More importantly if Hollande wins then the Franco-German relationship will start slightly poisoned which isn't at all helpful.

[Admiral Yi]

He wants to renegotiate the fiscal pact agreed in December.

OK, but which way?

[Sheilbh]

He wants to renegotiate the fiscal pact agreed in December.

OK, but which way?

He wants Eurobonds, ECB bond purchases and probably a bit less emphasis on austerity.  Basically Sarko's position but more.  I imagine he's also more keen on an inter-governmental agreement rather than a treaty, but that's a French thing.

On this story Sarko's apparently rebuffed this.  He was asked about it in one of those two hour interviews French Presidents do and replied 'I didn't know she voted in France'.  Hollande's accused them of holding the Franco-German alliance hostage for their own political ends.

[Zanza]

Would it be strange to Americans if the Republican governor of Texas would campaign for the Republican candidate in California?

[Sheilbh]

Would it be strange to Americans if the Republican governor of Texas would campaign for the Republican candidate in California?

No.  But then it's not odd in America for there to be large scale fiscal transfers from New York to Alabama.  We're not at that level of integration yet.

I think you're right that could be the future if integration continues.  But right now it's unprecedented and this is a very high profile experiment in cross-border politics. 

On another level I do wonder about the popularity of Merkel in France (and many other parts of Europe).  To use your example, would it be helpful for the Republican candidate in California to have Rick Perry campaign for him?

[Zanza]

Merkel is probably not more unpopular than Sarkozy himself in France.

[Sheilbh]

True enough