Another Vote Against European Austerity

Just a few days ago, the French people booted conservative Nicolas Sarkozy out of office and replaced him with an anti-austerity candidate. On that same day, the Greek people voted against their own austerity government. These moves followed the recent downfall of the Dutch conservative government (who were also touting an austerity budget). All over Europe, it seems the people are rejecting the failed policy of austerity (which has thrown several European countries deeper into recession).

Now there is evidence that the anti-austerity movement has even reach the 600-pound gorilla of the European Union -- Germany, where conservative leader Angela Merkel (pictured above) has been one of the strongest proponents of austerity. Last week, in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, the governing conservative coalition of Christian Democrats (Merkel's party) and Free Democrats were ousted. This week that was repeated in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

North Rhine-Westphalia is important because it is Germany's most populous state (containing more than a fifth of the country's population). It is also the state that launched Merkel into power in 2005 by giving her Christian Democrats more than 45% of the vote. But this week the party was only able to get 25.8% of the vote. They will now be replaced by a moderate-left coalition composed of Social Democrats (with 38.8% of the vote) and the Green Party (with 11.9% of the vote).

These two German states have now joined 2 or 3 other states, who also booted out the conservatives last year. It seems that the anti-austerity feeling is growing in Germany, even though that country is in better economic shape than most European nations. That is bad news for Merkel (one of the principal architects of the austerity policy), who must run for re-election next year. The odds are now very much against Merkel's election to a third term.

The Europeans are starting to realize they have been hoodwinked by the conservatives and their austerity policy -- a policy that favors the rich and hurts everyone else. Hopefully, that anti-austerity feeling can cross the ocean and find a home in this country. The Republican Party is trying to impose their own version of the failed austerity policy in the United States -- and it will be just as disastrous here as it has been in Europe. They must be stopped before they turn the current recession into a long-lasting depression.