Merkel allies reject idea of European finance minister: Handelsblatt

[BERLIN] Leading politicians from Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives want to pass a resolution at a meeting this week to reject any pooling of debts in Europe and any fiscal policy without national parliamentary controls, Handelsblatt reported.

The daily business newspaper, citing sources from the conservative bloc's parliamentary leadership, said the senior politicians also oppose European Commission plans for a European finance minister.

The group includes the parliamentary leaders of the conservative bloc in the Bundestag, the European Parliament as well as from Germany's 16 states, Handelsblatt reported.

Dr Merkel will join them on Monday for a meeting in Frankfurt.

The report highlights the resistance among Dr Merkel's conservatives to any euro zone reforms that could see more German taxpayers' money being used to fund other member states.

The conservatives are nervous about European Union reform after bleeding support to the anti-euro Alternative for Germany (AfD) party at national elections last September.

Last month, Dr Merkel called for a spirit of compromise on reforming the euro zone at a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who pressed for solidarity among members of the currency union.

REUTERS