FORMER CHANCELLOR Helmut Kohl has dismissed as “completely imaginary” reports that he claimed chancellor Angela Merkel is “ruining” his European dream.
Remarks to that effect reported in this morning's Der Spiegelmagazine would, if true, mark the most stinging criticism yet from Dr Kohl, who pointedly ignores Dr Merkel at public events.
A close confidant of the ailing former politician told Der Spiegelthat during a recent visit, Dr Kohl (81) had described Dr Merkel's path in the euro zone crisis as "very dangerous".
“She’s ruining my European dream,” the former leader reportedly told his visitor.
Dr Kohl denied the remarks in a statement yesterday.
“What is true is that I am concerned that the supposed euro crisis is not understood as a structural crisis of the euro but what it is – the result of home-made mistakes of both sides, Europe and the member states,” he wrote. Without mentioning Dr Merkel by name, he added: “Whoever . . . solves mistakes to make the euro Europe’s future has my full support.”
As European leaders meet this week in Brussels, Dr Kohl’s reported remarks could mark the start of an uncomfortable summer holiday for the German leader.
For now, Dr Merkel appears politically untouchable after sidelining an entire generation of would-be rivals in her ruling Christian Democrats (CDU), with a mixture of charm and iron will.
The next generation of political 40-somethings have been dubbed “Mammy’s boys” for never challenging in public the politician to whom they owe their cabinet seat.
However, the wind may be shifting. Last week, the first protege broke with Dr Merkel – former economics adviser Jens Weidmann, now Bundesbank chief, criticised the government for lacking a strategy to deal with the snowballing euro zone crisis.
CDU economic spokesman Kurt Lauk yesterday criticised the party leader for not tackling growing unhappiness with bailouts by explaining better Germany’s national interest in a euro zone rescue.
“The last thing that an exporting nation like Germany can afford is a euro-sceptic population,” said Mr Lauk. “The government has to go on the offensive.”
Today’s reports of Dr Kohl’s verbal put-down – true or not – could mark open season on the CDU leader. Nervousness is growing within the party as it reaches the mid-way point in its luckless four-year coalition with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).
Despite record economic recovery and unemployment at a post-unification low, the CDU is not seeing any political benefit. Some polls even put CDU support below its disastrous 2009 election result.