"Germany raises health premiums, cuts spending" by V. Schmitt-Roschmann, Associated Press | July 7, 2010
BERLIN — Faced with a ballooning deficit in Germany’s health care system, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government decided yesterday to raise premiums and cut into the profits of doctors, dentists, hospitals, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The decision was reached after months of wrangling within Merkel’s coalition over a fundamental overhaul of the system and after a series of political blows to the chancellor and plummeting support in the polls.
And then she had to sit through the loss in Africa.
Government officials said the decision was reached harmoniously, but the opposition immediately criticized the changes, saying they basically consist of everybody paying more....
So BANKERS can GET PAID!!!
No wonder Germans are steamed; they are very intelligent people!
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She isn't doing to well at home, either:
"Merkel presidential pick barely prevails" by Associated Press | July 1, 2010
BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel’s handpicked presidential candidate limped to victory after three rounds of voting by a special assembly yesterday, a weak showing that deeply damaged Merkel’s political fortunes.
What should have been a rubber-stamp victory for the candidate, Christian Wulff, instead turned into a daylong battle as rebels in the governing parties took advantage of the secret ballot to vent their frustrations with the chancellor.
As bad as it was for Merkel, it could have been much worse. Ahead of the vote, analysts said that an upset victory by the main opposition candidate, Joachim Gauck, a former East German dissident and Protestant pastor, would deal such a blow to Merkel’s leadership that it might set in motion a crisis that would end her reign as chancellor.
Merkel’s inability to take advantage of a clear majority in the special assembly reinforced the impression in political circles and the German news media that she was losing her grip on her increasingly fractious coalition less than a year after winning a second term....
Seems like a WORLDWIDE PHENOMENA when it comes to GOVERNMENTS these days!
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Related: Germany's Presidential Politics
Also see: Germany asks Apple about user dataSuspected war criminal wins appeal
Ex-SS officer dies before facing trial
Nothing like KICKING YOU when you are DOWN, 'eh?
