CHANCELLOR ANGELA Merkel has brushed aside criticisms from Helmut Kohl that her EU and foreign policy is erratic and directionless.
On the day that Forbes magazine named her the world’s most powerful woman – for the fifth time – Dr Merkel countered coolly her political mentor’s accusation that she was betraying his legacy.
“Every era has its specific challenges,” she said.
“Helmut Kohl’s achievements as chancellor of German and European unity cannot be valued highly enough.”
She then left no doubt that, in her view, Kohl’s era has passed: “Every era has its specific challenges and this government is working, together with our partners in Europe and the world, to master these challenges.”
Without mentioning her by name, Kohl criticised Germany’s EU policy, saying it was unclear at present “where Germany stands and where it wants to go”.
The episode is a reminder of how chilly relations are between the one-time mentor and protege. After Kohl raised her from obscurity in his post-unification cabinet, Merkel was the first high-profile Christian Democrat (CDU) politician to turn on him when he refused to name the source of dubious party donations.
She distanced herself from the former party leader in a 1999 newspaper article, urged the rest of the CDU to do the same and, months later, secured the party leadership.
“One has the impression that it still bothers him how she stripped him of his honorary party chairmanship,” said Dr Sylke Tempel, editor of Internationale Politik, which published the Kohl interview.
She suggested his criticisms should be seen as more than just a personal attack on Merkel, but a wider critique of the direction of German politics since he left office in 1998.
“His criticism was that Germany’s compass should be clear, as the motor for Europe and as greatest beneficiary of Europe.”
The lengthy magazine interview electrified the German political scene but few CDU figures were prepared to agree publicly with Kohl – for fear of crossing their chancellor.
One of the few to do so was foreign affairs spokesman Philip Missfelder, a rising CDU star. He said the former leader was “simply concerned” about political developments.
“You can see there’s a lot going on in the party that cannot be brushed aside,” he said, saying the Kohl criticisms “have to be taken seriously”.
The CDU party leadership was of a different view yesterday, mobilising foot soldiers to suggest the ailing former chancellor was “not quite up to date” with current political developments.
After months of criticism that she lacks passion for Europe, Merkel has gone to uncharacteristic lengths of late to demonstrate the contrary.
“If I had as much passion for everything as I did for Europe, I could fill my day with 48 hours,” she told journalists last month.
Asked about the euro zone, her mantra is that, rather than superficial cleaning, the euro zone needs root canal work to reduce debt, increase competitiveness and wash away the bad fiscal habits that built up in the euro’s first decade.
After watching and waiting to see where the euro zone debate was going, Merkel advisers say she is poised to push for tighter euro zone governance.
This will be certain to include greater budgetary supervision from Brussels.
“I am someone who decides when I think things are ripe for a decision,” she said last month.
Her message was one that was clear: September is decision time in Berlin – and in the euro zone.