German President Slams Brexiteers for ‘Endangering Prosperity’
German President Slams Brexiteers for ‘Endangering Prosperity’
(Bloomberg) -- Germany’s president made an unusually outspoken foray into the domestic politics of a European Union partner, slamming Brexit backers in the U.K. for “endangering prosperity and jobs” both in Britain and across the continent.
The “sad truth” about the U.K.’s decision to quit the EU is that it will not solve problems caused by the decline of British industry, but rather will exacerbate them, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Monday in the text of a speech at a BMW AG factory in Leipzig.
“The exit from the EU has made the rifts in society deeper, and it won’t bring back manufacturing,” Steinmeier, a former German foreign minister, told workers in the eastern German city. A “united, strong” Europe is necessary for economic prosperity, he added, telling his audience to show their support for the EU in the bloc’s parliamentary election on Sunday.
Twitter Threats
The German head of state -- whose role is largely ceremonial and removed from day-to-day politics -- also hit out at Donald Trump over the U.S. president’s threat to slap tariffs on Europe’s auto industry, saying that is “no way to treat a partner.”
“When the boss in the White House wakes up in the morning and via Twitter threatens tariffs on German cars, then I am happy that the European Commission makes it clear on behalf of all 500 million EU citizens: That won’t do!” Steinmeier said.
Discussing Brexit, Steinmeier noted that one in six BMW vehicles made at the Leipzig plant is exported across the English Channel, and engines made in Britain are installed in cars assembled at the facility.
“That’s also why the exit of our British friends from the EU is painful,” he said. “Brexit is endangering prosperity and jobs -- especially on the other side of the Channel, but it also affects us and you here in Leipzig.”
‘Populist Battle’
Britain’s switch from a manufacturing economy to one dominated by the services industry led to a “vicious circle” involving the shuttering of thousands of firms and widespread job losses, Steinmeier said.
“This weakens and divides a nation,” and people particularly blamed the EU for their woes, he added, urging Germans not to fall into the same trap of a “populist battle.”
“And we should not forget one thing in particular: We in Germany -- especially we in Germany -- owe an immense debt to this European unity.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Iain Rogers in Berlin at irogers11@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net, Chris Reiter, Andrew Blackman
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