Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 5 March 2018

Merkel in line for a fourth term after months of uncertainty

By FRANK JORDANS Merkel, who has proved
Associated Press herself a shrewd interna-
BERLIN (AP) — Germany tional negotiator during
ended months of political more than 12 years in of-
uncertainty Sunday when fice, faced her greatest
Chancellor Angela Merkel challenge at home after
gained the support need- deciding to allow over a
ed to preserve her govern- million asylum-seekers into
ing coalition and secure a Germany since 2015. An
fourth term as leader of Eu- anti-migrant party came in
rope’s most powerful econ- third in last year’s election,
omy. upending Germany’s tradi-
The center-left Social Dem- tional coalition calculus.
ocrats voted overwhelm- With Merkel’s bloc and the
ingly to remain in a coali- second-place Social Dem-
tion with Merkel’s conser- ocrats in government, the
vative bloc, after difficult right-wing Alternative for
and drawn-out negotia- Germany, or AfD, now rep-
tions triggered by Septem- resents the biggest opposi-
ber’s elections, which saw tion party in Parliament, giv-
the rise of a new right-wing ing it a prominent platform
force in German politics to attack the chancellor.
and raised questions about Its leaders have vowed to
Merkel’s future. German Chancellor and party chairwoman Angela Merkel smiles at the party convention of the “hunt” Merkel, though so
Parliament is expected to Christian Democratic Union CDU in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. The delegates voted far AfD’s novice lawmak-
meet March 14 to re-elect for the coalition agreement on forming a new German government. ers have stood out mainly
Merkel as chancellor, end- (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) by failing to grasp parlia-
ing the longest time Ger- grant sentiment in Germa- French President Emman- limbo would allow the EU to mentary procedures and
many has been without ny while pushing forward uel Macron declaring it step up efforts to deal with putting forward motions all
a new government after efforts to reform the stum- “good news for Europe.” such issues as immigration, other parties reject.
elections in its postwar his- bling European Union. “France and Germany will security and trade. The Social Democrats were
tory. “I congratulate the SPD on work together in the com- In a veiled reference to the initially reluctant to extend
Merkel has drawn flak from this clear result and look for- ing weeks to develop new United States under Presi- their coalition with Merkel
both left and right for main- ward to continuing to work initiatives and advance the dent Donald Trump, Michel but eventually agreed to a
taining an unabashedly together for the good of European project,” Macron cited the threat of protec- deal that gives them con-
centrist course since tak- our country,” she said on said in a statement. tionism, the weakening of trol of the foreign, labor
ing office in 2005. With the Twitter. Belgian Prime Minister international cooperation and finance ministries —
coalition approved, she Merkel’s survival drew Charles Michel expressed and the issue of climate three major portfolios — in
can now turn her attention cheers from her allies at hope that the end of Ger- change as challenges the return for supporting curbs
to tackling rising anti-immi- home and abroad, with many’s six-month political 28-nation bloc must face. on immigration.q

UK leader tries to ease concerns of banks in Brexit talks

By DANICA KIRKA plays for the EU and the U.K. recognition,” May said. the British people they had aviation and a host of other
Associated Press That came two days after “Given the sums of money to face “hard facts” about issues.
LONDON (AP) — British May rejected calls for a involved, given the impor- Brexit and warned that the Britain and the bloc have
Prime Minister Theresa May “passporting” agreement, tance of financial stability, U.K. will have less access to promised there will be no
is trying to ease bankers’ which would let bankers given the risk that, actually, EU markets once it leaves customs posts or other im-
concerns after she torpe- and other professionals the UK bears ... it’s impor- the bloc. pediments along the 310-
doed one of their biggest work in the EU with their UK tant that we do that on the May’s speech was meant mile (500 kilometer) border.
demands for Brexit during qualifications — and vice basis of recognized regula- to answer critics who ar- May said Friday that a
a speech on the country’s versa. Such an arrange- tory standards. gued that she had failed “hard” border can be
future relationship with the ment would force Britain But we can’t just accept to face up to the realities avoided through techno-
European Union. to accept rules made else- rules made elsewhere of the leaving the 28-nation logical solutions and plac-
The prime minister, in a BBC where, and that is unac- without us having a say in bloc. ing no new restrictions on
interview broadcast Sun- ceptable, she said. them.” The U.K. is due to leave the smaller businesses, which
day, said both sides must “What we are looking at The comments were re- EU on March 29, 2019, but account for 80 percent
recognize the “very im- ... is a new relationship on corded Friday, the same the two sides have yet to of the trade between
portant role” that Britain’s financial services based day May delivered a major negotiate new arrange- Northern Ireland and the
financial services industry on this concept of mutual speech in which she told ments for trade, security, Republic.q