EVERY ASH Wednesday for six decades, Germany’s politicians have headed to a beer hall to down a few pints and make fun of political rivals.
This year, in a break with tradition, German chancellor Angela Merkel looked on in dismay as her two junior coalition partners spared their opposition rivals and instead exchanged insults with each other, poisoning further the atmosphere in her government.
The first insults of the day came shortly after 10am in the Bavarian city of Passau from the Christian Social Union (CSU), sister party to Dr Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU).
The party faithful packed into a city beer hall, supped at their frothy mugs and listened in delight as party leader Horst Seehofer took aim at Guido Westerwelle, head of the Free Democrats (FDP).
Since taking office as foreign minister three months ago, Mr Westerwelle – described by Mr Seehofer as the “thin-skinned one” – has suggested Germany’s welfare system encourages “late Roman decadence” and has demanded that his coalition partners’ support his ambitious tax reforms or face the “consequences”.
“Wow! Now that’s a warning, that really knocked us for six,” shouted a grinning Mr Seehofer.
“The Alps are shaking, the lakes are foaming, do you feel your knees knocking, ladies and gentlemen? But have no fear, dear friends, it’s no tsunami, it’s just Westerwelle.”
Mr Seehofer, his voice dripping with sarcasm, urged “my friend Guido . . . [to have] a little more composure” in tackling Germany’s important problems.
Over at the FDP beer hall, Mr Westerwelle shrugged off the insults from the CSU as well as growing accusations from the opposition that his speeches have crossed the line into extreme-right ideology. “Those who embrace the left-wing zeitgeist can criticise me all they like, but it has to be more worthwhile for people to get up and work, and that whoever works has to have more in their pocket,” said Mr Westerwelle. “People want to hear the truth and no nonsense.”
But Mr Westerwelle is also feeling increasing pressure from within his own party over his controversial strategy.
An opinion poll released yesterday showed the FDP with just 7 per cent support, a long way from the 14.6 per cent it won on election night in September.
“The attacks show CSU and FDP insecurity in office and their inability to show voters that they are doing serious work,” said political observer Prof Heinrich Oberreuter.
“They say that the economic crisis isn’t over yet, but rather than taking that seriously themselves they spend their time wrestling each other instead for political gain.”