Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Friday that Germany had been right to oppose the US-led war in Iraq, driving home his defiant message by repeatedly using the German word for "power," which leaders have long eschewed because of its associations with the Nazi era.
Schroeder, in a speech marking the 13th anniversary of German reunification, described the country as a "civil power" and an "economic power," responsible for fueling the growth of the EU.
The word "macht", or "power," has been laden with meaning since Hitler used it to describe a Germany bent on dominating its neighbors. But Schroeder talked about Germany's "civil power," which he said manifested itself in a peaceful foreign policy that could be spread throughout the world.
"German peace polices are policies for Europe and beyond," he said in a nationally televised speech. "I think we can be proud of the way Germany has accepted growing international responsibilities in recent years."
The chancellor's remarks came a week after he and President Bush exchanged a hearty handshake at the UN in a bid to mend the frayed ties between Germany and the US over Iraq.
On Friday, though, Schroeder won thunderous applause by reaffirming Germany's decision to sit out the war.
"When we were convinced that the assumed threat did not justify the dangers and consequences of war, we had the courage to say `No,'" he told a crowd of 1,400.
Schroeder's speech, delivered in the east, was clearly aimed at a domestic audience. His antiwar stance has been particularly popular among eastern Germans, helping to lift him to a razor-thin victory against a conservative challenger last fall.
Much of Schroeder's message was calculated to win support for his campaign to reform Germany's calcified economy. The unemployment rate in eastern Germany is close to 20 percent, after a decade of subsidies from the west that have failed to bring prosperity.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS