Tsipras against Schultz: You are Merkel’s chosen one

The clash between the candidates for the presidency of the European Commission flares up with Alexis Tsipras raising the tone and opening a front with Social Democrats candidate Martin Schultz.

Speaking to the German Press Agency, Tsipras said "Schultz acts as if he is a candidate of the Christian Democrats and Chancellor Angela Merkel."

The Greek main opposition party leader recalled an interview Schultz where the German politician stated that "the Chancellor should not be blamed for each negative development in Europe" and that "decisions are taken jointly with the 28 prime ministers."

"Is Schultz a candidate of the Social Democrats or Mrs Merkel and the Christian Democrats, when he publicly expresses his desire to be the chosen one of the German Chancellor in Europe? The question is whether the social basis of the social democrats wants the same thing. SPD’s ordinary voters want Merkel rampant in Europe or a Europe as a democratic counterweight to the arrogance and arbitrariness of neoliberalism? The alliance between Schultz and Merkel assures the continuation of austerity, recession and unemployment," the SYRIZA president stresses and urges "the simple German citizen who traditionally voted for SPD to choose in the coming European elections the candidate of the European Left," i.e. himself.