Merkel’s coalition seems to be breaking up over the second Greek bailout deal. It has caused a rebellion in her own coalition. Twenty-five lawmakers have gone on recording saying they won’t support the bailout changes. Even worse, during a Monday mock vote, backbenchers from the Christian Democrats and from the Free Democrats didn’t vote for Merkel’s plan.
Merkel has until September 29 when the measure comes up for a formal vote in Parliament. They are voting on whether to make the EU bailout fund bigger and more flexible.
The opposition supports Merkel, but if she passes the measure that way she will look incompetent, and her government’s days are numbered.
The message is clear. Germany doesn’t want to bail out its neighbors.