Gerhard Schroeder took his toys and went home today.
Gerhard Shroeder let loose on one last hostile “Anglo-Saxon” tirade before quitting today. The teary-eyed loser in the German Election made clear he did not want to help his party or his country and would not be part of the new government led by conservative rival Angela Merkel. Before leaving office he took one last swipe at the US, the Bush Administration, and Great Britain.
Gerhard led Germany to its worst economic results since Hitler took over. CNN calls this a ” mixed economic legacy”(?) So, today he attacked the US and Britain for what he called “failed economic policy”. This appeared to be a very strange and immature way for this European leader to fade into the sunset, but his audience seemed to love it as they gave him loud applause.
“I will not be a part of the next government — definitely not be part of it,” a tearful looking Schroeder told a rapt audience of union members in his home city of Hanover.
He quickly composed himself, hitting his stride in a passionate defense of a strong German state and lashing out at “Anglo-Saxon” economic policies favoured in Britain and the United States, which he said had “no chance” in Europe.
In an apparent reference to Hurricane Katrina, Schroeder castigated Washington for liberal, hands-off policies that left it exposed in times of crisis. The Bush administration was widely criticised for its response to the devastating storm.
“I do not want to name any catastrophes where you can see what happens if organised state action is absent. I could name countries, but the position I still hold forbids it, but everyone knows I mean America,” he said to loud applause.
Schroeder was speaking two days after his Social Democrats (SPD) said he was ready to step down to allow conservative leader Angela Merkel to front a power-sharing government of their two parties.
Meanwhile, Angela Merkel will become the first female Chancellor in German history:
Angela Merkel is to become Germany’s first woman chancellor under a deal agreed between her Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).
Mrs Merkel confirmed the deal at a news conference and said a CDU-SPD “grand coalition” would have to create jobs and push through economic reforms.Under the deal, the SPD will take eight ministerial posts, against a reported six for the CDU and their CSU allies.
German Blogger Davids Medienkritik is not surprised.
Italian blogger Stefania bids Gerhard farewell.