Berlin    16 – 01 – 2010

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor has brushed-off rumours  that she might resign. 

While the origin of this resignation rumour remain nebulous and elusive, Berlin observers have recently noticed a distinctly more tired, forlorn and older looking Merkel and comes at a time when her own leadership style is being questioned. 

Criticism from with-in her own CDU party, and in-fighting amongst her center-right coalition partners regarding tax cuts, Afghanistan and health costs have already blemished the beginning of her 2nd term.

Keeping in mind the old adage and the first rule in politics - ‘never believe a rumour unless it has been officially denied’ – a government spokesman has since said to be “baffled’ by the resignation talk and Merkel has herself remarked the rumour to be ‘absurd’. 

The rumour highlighted weakness in the Euro zone along-side wider concerns including the struggling Greek economy pushing the Euro down. 

While polls show public support waning –at 60% percent the lowest personal approval ratings since the end of 2006 -she is still popular in Germany and certainly more popular than any up-start ‘wanabee’ challengers within the government.    

Berlin    15-01-2010 

Partner governments in the Airbus A400M military plane have agreed to find an acceptable solution that hangs over the future of Europe’s largest military project to date.

Germany will become by far the single largest A400M customer taking 60 out of the total 180 planes orders thus far. 

EADS/Airbus efforts to impose a strict end-January deadline had irritated political Berlin which in-turn stated it would not be black-mailed.

Something similar occurred last year when a deadlock over the   the next phase of the Typhoon Euro-fighter was after direct intervention by both the German and UK governments. 

The other countries buying the plane are Britain, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Turkey. 

The A400M 4 engine military transport is a replacement for the over 60 year old American C-130 Hercules design.

It is Europe’s own answer to a glaring replacement need for a global work-horse – a troop and heavy equipment transporter for international military and humanitarian missions.  

The present proposal being discussed -wisely -would not involve any new taxpayer money in the immediate future. In these difficult economic times government ‘cost cutting’ and fiscal responsibility are the flavour of the month.

In an amended proposal – in which  EU accountant-bureaucrats  excel –  the increases would be ‘evened-out’  over time.