EU news: German voters turn on Merkel and EU as poll shows growing fur…

Angela Merkel moved earlier this week to extend strict curbs in Germany to fight the coronavirus pandemic until mid-March. However, the German Chancellor has been faced with a backlash among voters, with a majority of people refusing to believe Ms Merkel’s pledge to vaccinate all Germans by September. A bombshell poll over the weekend also showed a surge in anti-EU anger, with more than 60 percent of Germans confirming that their view of Brussels had worsened due to the vaccine rollout chaos.

France24’s Nick Spicer said: “Merkel fears a bounce-back in the virus, but there are a lot of rival politicians in Germany campaigning to lift lockdown before Merkel wants it.

“People are really getting tired of the lockdowns. There is frustration.

“Children have been home from school since Christmas, requiring parents to stay at home to do home-schooling, employers to be flexible and so on.

“There is also frustration at the rollout of the vaccine.”

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He added: “The first vaccine was invented here in Germany but people are looking to the UK and seeing that five times more people have been inoculated in Britain than Germany.

“A majority also doesn’t believe Merkel’s promise to vaccinate all willing Germans by September. There is a lot of frustration and anger.”

This follows a bombshell poll in German newspaper Der Spiegel shows that Germany is losing faith in the EU due to the continuing Covid vaccine chaos across almost all member states.

According to the poll, over 60 percent said view of Brussels had worsened due to its handling of vaccine roll-out while almost 70 percent of German citizens blamed Ursula von der Leyen.

Emmanuel Macron previously criticised the UK’s approach to vaccinations last month after British health chiefs decided to delay second doses for up to 12 weeks.

The latest French move was promptly criticised by Generation Frexit leader Charles-Henri Gallois who told Express.co.uk the French President is acting in the interests of Brussels.

He said: “Like when he had criticised the AstraZeneca vaccine, Macron seems more driven by politics than health issues.

“Indeed, he had decided that this vaccine should not be given to people over 65 because the EU had a fight with this lab.

“No scientific study had given any evidence about that.

“It’s quite the same when he decides that those who have already recovered from coronavirus should have only one vaccine shot.”