« German Finance Minister Peer Steinbruck faces the press at the EU informal meeting of economy and finance ministers in France, September 12.
(Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images)


German Finance Minister: Economic Crisis May Cause Rise of Far Right

November 13, 2008 | From theTrumpet.com

The global financial crisis could breed political extremism in Germany, the country’s finance minister has said. If Germans blame unrestrained capitalism for their woes and lose faith in the economic system, people could turn to far-right parties, Peer Steinbrück said November 11.

Steinbrück fears that Germany’s €500 billion (us$637 billion) rescue package could be used to stir up feelings of social injustice. Voters could link the financial crisis with Germany’s highly publicized corruption and tax-evasion scandals and the excessive salaries of rich bosses, he warned.

“In the worst case, this could lead to a crisis of legitimacy,â€