German economic fears growing but Merkel strong

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/08/29/3351934/german-economic-fears-growing.html?sp=/99/261/



In this Monday, Aug. 26, 2013 file photo, supporters of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) hold placards with the nickname of German Chancellor and CDU leader Angela Merkel at an election campaign event of the CDU in Ilmenau, central Germany. Ordinary Germans are spooked about the future. Businesses see black clouds on the horizon. And an economy that has been the envy of Europe is already showing cracks, shrinking last quarter under the strain of conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere. It might seem like enough to put any leader into trouble. But Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity remains sky-high _ with nobody in sight to touch her.

German economic fears growing but Merkel strong
By DAVID RISING
Associated Press
August 29, 2014 Updated 17 minutes ago

BERLIN — Ordinary Germans are spooked about the future. Businesses are starting to see black clouds on the horizon. And an economy that has been the envy of Europe is showing cracks, shrinking unexpectedly last quarter amid the conflict in Ukraine.

It might seem like enough to put any leader into trouble. But Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity remains sky-high — with nobody in sight to touch her.

It shows the German public is prepared to endure some hardships — such as a rise in energy costs if the sanctions war with Russia escalates — as long as Merkel is seen as dealing strongly with the crisis.

"She holds her line, and this gives the German electorate the impression she is doing a good job in the interests of Germany," said Nils Diederich, a political scientist at Berlin's Free University. "I don't think that there are very many governments in Europe with such a stable position as the German government at this moment."