In Berlin, Merkel welcomed the “very ambitious efforts” of France – Le Monde

In Berlin, Merkel welcomed the "very ambitious efforts" of France – Le Monde

The World | 22.09.2014 at 6:29 • Updated 09/22/2014 at 16h58 | By Frédéric Lemaître (Berlin correspondent)

Suspected by the German press to want to focus on Germany’s responsibility for the economic difficulties of France, Manuel Valls has instead argued that “France must take responsibility.”

What it “decade won” as “Germany had made efforts” . The Prime Minister, during a qualified “direct” and “very thorough” discussion, “given a timetable” to the implementation of “structural reforms always mentioned and never implemented,” , citing territorial reform, Sunday work and social levels. Angela Merkel acknowledged that this program “very ambitious” is ‘impressive’ .

However, she mentioned several times the importance of “credibility” of the euro area and recalled that some important reforms, such as the “less bureaucracy” do not cost money. Not yielding anything in the background, she recalled that “Germany showed that we could both consolidate its finances and create growth.” On the one hand, it recognized that “Growth is essential” and multiplied expressions combining France and Germany, on the other it has merely evoke the necessary European investment “in the digital” , a sector where investors are essentially private.

“THE FRENCH LOVE GERMANY WHO KNOWS TO UNDERSTAND”

Unexpectedly, Manuel Valls was directly and explicitly addressed “the German people” .

“I understand the doubts and questions of the German people. For the Germans, France is not reformed. (…) The reforms we will make them. I also need the confidence of the German people. Germany is a great country and the Germans are a great people “.

“The Germans love France keeps its commitments, the French like Germany who knows how to understand,” added the Prime Minister. This one had explained that his involvement in politics was the fact three great figures of European social democracy: the Spaniard Felipe Gonzales, the Swede Olof Palme and Willy Brandt of Germany

If Angela Merkel was warm with his guest – who was entitled to military honors – she hid behind the European Commission will soon decide whether the reforms in France or not enough

.

Obviously, the Chancellor had to heart to stand firm on his principles while supporting enough the French government not to exacerbate political difficulties facing policymakers in ambush at both PS and UMP FN.

After meeting with the Chancellor, the Prime Minister flew to Hamburg to visit the Airbus site and meet with the Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party Sigmar Gabriel. Monday morning after receiving the president of the union confederation DGB Reiner Hoffmann, Manuel Valls Tuesday morning will be the guest of an economic forum organized by the BDI, the employers’ confederation. Contrary to what was expected, the Prime Minister canceled the half-day he was to pass Tuesday afternoon in Stuttgart.

Read our explanation of economic disputes between France and Germany (subscriber edition): Berlin never gives up on austerity