Germany does not want to push Britain out of the European Union, but will not be “blackmailed” with the threat of an exit either, the country’s finance minister has warned.
Amid fears that a tide of
Euroscepticism could sweep London towards the exit, Mr Schäuble said
that he wanted "more British involvement in Europe, not less".
Amid fears that a tide of Euroscepticism could sweep London towards the exit,
Wolfgang Schäuble urged Britain to avoid a referendum on EU membership that
would create “uncertainty”.
“I would wish for more British involvement in Europe, not less,” he said in an
interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.
“We want to keep Britain in the EU and not push it out.”
However, Mr Schäuble cautioned that any attempt to “blackmail” Germany with
threats of an exit would not be tolerated.
“Our British friends are not dangerous, but a referendum would create
uncertainty,” he added.
Last week, UK prime minister David Cameron described a British secession as
“imaginable”, even though he would be against the move.
Mr Cameron has faced increased pressure from Tory backbenchers to claw back more powers from Brussels. David Davis, the Tory eurosceptic MP, has called for the British public to be given the chance to vote for a major repatriation of powers from the EU by early 2014.
The White House has also waded into the argument, warning that Britain’s position on the world stage could be significantly weakened by an exit.
Mr Schäuble renewed his call for an EU president that was “directly elected by the people, like in France and America”.
Herman Van Rompuy, the current president of the European Council, was elected by the 27 leaders of the EU, even though he was the only candidate to run for the post, while the president of the European Commission, currently Jose Manuel Barroso, was chosen by the European Parliament.
Separately, Italian caretaker prime minister Mario Monti said that he would consider running for a second term in next February’s election.
Speaking at an end-of-year news conference, Mr Monti, who resigned on Friday after 13 months in office, said that if a party or coalition offered a credible programme that he supported, “I would be ready to offer my encouragement, advice and if necessary leadership.”
He warned that Italy’s next government must not make easy election promises or backtrack on reforms started by his technocrat administration.
“We have to avoid illusory and extremely dangerous steps backwards,” he said.
Mr Monti, who was appointed to lead an unelected government to save Italy from financial crisis, has faced growing calls to seek a second term.
Mr Cameron has faced increased pressure from Tory backbenchers to claw back more powers from Brussels. David Davis, the Tory eurosceptic MP, has called for the British public to be given the chance to vote for a major repatriation of powers from the EU by early 2014.
The White House has also waded into the argument, warning that Britain’s position on the world stage could be significantly weakened by an exit.
Mr Schäuble renewed his call for an EU president that was “directly elected by the people, like in France and America”.
Herman Van Rompuy, the current president of the European Council, was elected by the 27 leaders of the EU, even though he was the only candidate to run for the post, while the president of the European Commission, currently Jose Manuel Barroso, was chosen by the European Parliament.
Separately, Italian caretaker prime minister Mario Monti said that he would consider running for a second term in next February’s election.
Speaking at an end-of-year news conference, Mr Monti, who resigned on Friday after 13 months in office, said that if a party or coalition offered a credible programme that he supported, “I would be ready to offer my encouragement, advice and if necessary leadership.”
He warned that Italy’s next government must not make easy election promises or backtrack on reforms started by his technocrat administration.
“We have to avoid illusory and extremely dangerous steps backwards,” he said.
Mr Monti, who was appointed to lead an unelected government to save Italy from financial crisis, has faced growing calls to seek a second term.
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