How the Debt Brake Broke the German Government
Sven R. Larson
November 13, 2024
Olaf Scholz’s government fell on a stumbling block that was placed in his way by none other than Angela Merkel.
Both Prime Minister of Hungary Victor Orbán and former Czech President Václav Klaus expressed appreciation for the sixteen years Merkel gave as German chancellor and a key leader in the European Union.
Angela Merkel did put in place a mechanism to strengthen German government finances. However, there was a price to be paid for this achievement, namely a slowly but steadily rising burden on German taxpayers.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reflected on what a post-Merkel Germany would mean for his country. “The era of ambiguity, stealth politics and drifting has ended with Merkel. We now prepare for battle with our eyes wide open.”
European Union Commission chief Ursula von der Leyden’s said on Wednesday that it was time to “think about mandatory vaccination.” In her personal opinion, “it is understandable and appropriate to lead this discussion now.”
