Reuters: German finance minister hits out at Barroso over austerity remarks

25 April 2013

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble lashed out at European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, telling lawmakers the eurozone's woes had nothing to do with strict budget rules and "somebody should tell Barroso that".

Barroso said this week austerity had reached the natural limits of popular support, fanning a bitter debate over whether lawmakers should shift their focus from cost-cutting to stimulus which has pitted Germany against many eurozone peers.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would continue to work towards balanced budgets, and she rejected French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici's accusation that Germany was too heavily focused on saving.

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