GERMANY: Parliament okays euro fund changes, as expected but a weak internal support could undermine Chancellor Angela Merkel

Record ID: 327690

  • Title: GERMANY: Parliament okays euro fund changes, as expected but a weak internal support could undermine Chancellor Angela Merkel
  • Date: 28th February 2012
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 27, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS MPS LEAVING, AMONGST THEM MERKEL WIDE PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT DEPUTY SPEAKER WOLFGANG THIERSE ANNOUNCING RESULT OF VOTE
  • Embargoed: 14th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2EDPK4W8N2Y04E6UV1MBLRI0G
  • Story Text: Germany's parliament has approved a second Greek bailout package on Monday (February 27) despite growing German unease over debt-ridden Greece's ability to push ahead with painful austerity measures and remain in the euro zone.
    It was not immediately clear if Chancellor Angela Merkel, facing a revolt from a small group of members of parliament from her own coalition, had to rely on opposition votes to pass the 130-billion-euro ($175 billion) Greek rescue programme.
    Support from the opposition meant there had been no doubt Germany would okay new powers for the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which some countries like Finland have ratified but others, including Slovakia, are disputing.
    The Bundestag's (lower house of parliament) deputy speaker Wolfgang Thierse said 496 lawmakers had voted for the bill, 90 against with only five had abstentions.
    If a breakdown of votes expected take up to an hour more shows the bill only got through thanks to the centre-left opposition, it would undermine the conservative chancellor's ability to pilot fresh measures to combat the euro crisis.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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