On 22 September Germans will be going to the ballot box to elect a new parliament. This general election will determine the direction our country is going to take and whether Germany will remain a strong and successful nation under the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel.
We Christian Democrats know that Germany, as a leading industrial and exporting nation, can only do well in the long run if Europe does well too. We are convinced that Europe is essential for us to live in peace, freedom and prosperity. We therefore want the European Union to emerge much stronger from the current and protracted crisis.
With economic power shifting globally, we will only be able to preserve our wealth and continue to prosper if Europe remains strong and can compete with the best in the world.
The German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is therefore promoting a strong and competitive European Union. There should be no return to old mistakes. The right course must be set in the next few years to improve our competitiveness.
Since the euro sovereign debt crisis erupted three years ago, the monetary union has been successfully strengthened and important reforms to ensure lasting stability have been set in motion.
For example, all countries in the eurozone have introduced national debt brakes, as already established in the German constitution since 2009. The stability pact has also been tightened and our European partners have started to implement important economic reforms.
Germany has shown solidarity with its European neighbours. However, countries that need help must also be prepared to contribute to finding a permanent solution to the problems they face. Excessive debts must be paid down and competitiveness increased through reforms and investment for the future in education, research and technology.
The European Union's single market is immensely important to both the UK and Germany. A strong euro and stable prices are therefore in the interest of both countries. They are the key to the success of our economy and creating new jobs.
The CDU is therefore strongly in favour of reducing the level of new borrowing and of strict adherence to national debt limits. We also want all EU member states to have balanced budgets and we call for the European Central Bank to remain independent.
The opposition parties in Germany, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, violated the stability and growth pact on four occasions and diluted its rules during their term in government between 1998 and 2005. Unfortunately, they have not learnt any lessons. They are still in favour of a collectivisation or mutualisation of debt by introducing Eurobonds. This would lead to a European debt union. I am resolutely opposed to this as we do not want to enable a eurozone country to continue borrowing and avoid difficult reform efforts at the expense of its neighbours.
Further reforms and efforts towards achieving a "union of stability" are now required to increase and sustain confidence in the enduring strength of the euro and the future of Europe.
1. We need an effective European banking authority at the European Central Bank for banks "too big to fail" as well as insolvency procedures for banks.
2. We advocate that the rules of the tightened stability and growth pact and the fiscal pact are implemented rigorously. Anyone violating the agreed limits of the stability and growth pact should expect to be sanctioned. We also support the drawing up of a rescheduling procedure within the eurozone for nations no longer able to service their debts.
3. With 90% of the world's growth already happening outside Europe, we need to identify and use our opportunities to successfully operate in these markets with excellent competitive products and services. This means we need to coordinate more closely our policies on how to improve Europe's competitiveness.
Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor Angela Merkel are united on this issue. They should continue to agree in the future.
It is therefore necessary to establish a pact for competitiveness, in which the nation states agree with the European Commission on specific and targeted measures to improve their respective situation.
It is true: a great deal is demanded of citizens in the eurozone countries hit by the crisis, but I am convinced that these efforts will pay off in the end. We need to make sure the European economic and social model, which combines economic success and social responsibility in a unique way, will be able to hold its ground in an environment of global competition to the benefit of all Europeans.
My party, the CDU, wants Europe to be strong. Using a lesson learnt from history, Germany has been and still is "inspired by the determination to promote world peace as an equal partner in a united Europe", as stated in our basic law. For me, this commitment to Europe is as much a matter of reason as it is a matter of the heart.
